Fulham have moved quickly to fill their managerial vacancy by appointing former Liverpool and Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa as their new head coach.
The Spanish tactician takes over the hot seat at Craven Cottage as the direct successor to Marco Silva, who left the West London club at the end of last season.
Arbeloa brings a wealth of experience to the dugout, having enjoyed a highly-decorated career at both club and international level.
He originally arrived in English football in January 2007, siging for Liverpool from Deportivo La Coruna.
Under the guidance of Rafael Benitez, the reliable full-back went on to make 98 appearances for the Reds, scoring twice and established himself as a fan favourite during his two-and-a-half years at Anfield.
The defender subsequently returned to his boyhood club Real Madrid in 2009, where he won numerous domestic and European honours alongside World Cup and European Championship trophies with the Spanish national team.
After spending one season back in the Premier League at West Ham, Arbeloa retired from playing in 2017, transitioning into coaching within the youth ranks at Real Madrid. He moved up to first-team coach last January, following Xabi Alonso’s departure, but only lasted six months in the role.
The move to Fulham represents Arbeloa’s first senior management role in the Premier League.
He faces a demanding start to life in the capital as he looks to reshape the squad to fit his footballing philosophy.
By a quirk of the fixture computer, Arbeloa will not have to wait long for an emotional return to his former home, with Fulham scheduled to travel north to face Liverpool at Anfield in matchweek four on September 12.