This summer has brought the biggest changes London's original football club has experienced in half a decade. These four players will be looking to benefit from the upheaval and establish themselves at Fulham.

As Fulham prepare for their fifth consecutive season in the Premier League, the 2026-27 campaign will be the first in which Marco Silva will not be marching up and down the Cottagers' touchline.

With Silva joining Benfica in June following the expiry of his contract, former Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa is now the man in charge of leading Fulham into this exciting new era.

This summer has seen a noticeable shift in Fulham's transfer strategy. Signings under Silva were often older players with Premier League experience who had either lost their place or failed to establish themselves at a bigger club — for example, Bernd Leno and Andreas Pereira.

This summer has seen London's original football club gravitate towards younger, less experienced players who possess enormous potential and clear talent but are seeking to establish themselves in the Premier League.

As Fulham prepare to kick off their season against Chelsea on the first Monday Night Football fixture of the season, here are four players who could play a pivotal role in Arbeloa's new-look side.

Oscar Bobb: Opportunity Awaits on the Right Wing

Brought in during the January window for a reported £27 million, Oscar Bobb has endured a sporadic and inconsistent spell in West London — but this upcoming season could completely change that.

Bobb was clearly brought in as a long-term replacement for Harry Wilson, in the event the Welshman did not renew his contract.

Wilson's stunning season meant his grip on the right-wing position was effectively secure for most of the campaign. As a result, the majority of Bobb's appearances and starts came on the left wing — an unnatural position for the Manchester City academy graduate.

Without a goal or assist, Bobb struggled on the left, lacking the explosiveness and synergy that had made him a fan favourite at the Etihad.

However, as Wilson's form dropped off significantly towards the end of the season due to mounting speculation regarding his future, Bobb showed glimpses of his undoubted promise and talent.

His cameo on the right wing in Fulham's 1-0 win over Aston Villa in March was superb — he expertly took on full-backs, dragged midfielders out of position, and created space for attackers to exploit.

With Wilson gone, the 22-year-old Norwegian has automatically been elevated to first choice on the right wing.

After an extended break due to Norway's participation in the latter stages of the World Cup, Bobb will be hoping that a consistent run of games will help him rediscover the blistering form he enjoyed at City.

Kevin: Can Fulham’s Record Signing Finally Fulfil His Potential?

Like Bobb, Kevin has not had sufficient opportunities to justify Fulham's £40 million investment on transfer deadline day in 2025.

His debut, as a substitute in a 1-0 win against Leeds at Craven Cottage in September 2025, was eye-catching.

Fulham had lacked attacking impetus and intensity in that match, but Kevin came on and instantly became the livewire of the Cottagers' attack, bamboozling the Leeds full-back and unleashing a superb dipping shot that required an outstanding save from Karl Darlow.

Following this brilliant cameo, consistent goal contributions were hard to come by — partly caused by a lack of regular starts.

Fulham's record signing had to wait until January for his first goal, against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup. This propelled him to frequently showcase his talent and attacking skills, culminating in a sensational equaliser against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Just as he had started to establish himself in the Premier League, the Brazilian suffered a fifth metatarsal injury against Sunderland and was sidelined for several weeks.

He returned towards the end of the season and was unfortunate not to score on the final day against Newcastle, his free kick smashing against the bar before being turned in.

With a full pre-season now under his belt, Kevin will hope his progressive ball-carrying and Brazilian flair will allow him to become Arbeloa's first-choice left winger.

Shea Charles: A New Midfield Role Under Arbeloa

Signed from Southampton for a reported £30 million, Fulham's new No. 19 has been brought in as a potential replacement for the experienced lynchpin Sasa Lukic.

This will be Shea Charles' first full season in the Premier League, as he did not play any games during Southampton's last stay in the Premier League. He was, however, a veteran of the Championship, making 120 appearances across three seasons at Southampton and Sheffield Wednesday.

Lukic was a mainstay in the Cottagers' team over the last two seasons, often driving transitions from defence to attack while Sander Berge stayed back to marshal the backline.

From what Fulham have shown during pre-season, it is clear that pace and tenacity will be non-negotiable traits for Arbeloa's midfielders.

Charles has these in abundance — he is a versatile deep-lying and box-to-box midfielder known for his physical stature, calm ball progression, and tactical intelligence. These traits, he hopes, will allow him to become Fulham's new midfield lynchpin and establish himself as a Premier League player.

Gonzalo Garcia: Arbeloa’s Trusted No.9 Gets His Premier League Chance

Gonzalo Garcia arrives at Fulham with considerable expectations. A £40 million summer signing from Real Madrid, he will be expected to compete for Fulham's starting No. 9 role and the man tasked with filling the goalscoring void left by the departed Raul Jimenez.

Garcia is the first striker Fulham have spent significant money on since Aleksandar Mitrovic. However, to call him an unknown attacking quantity would be unfair.

Under the tutelage of Fulham's new manager during the second half of last season, Garcia scored a total of 13 goals in 51 appearances for the senior side, most notably a perfect hat-trick — a left-footed goal, a right-footed goal, and a header — in a 5-1 win over Real Betis.

After progressing through the Under-19s, it was in Madrid's Castilla side where Arbeloa and García really developed their relationship.

Across five seasons, Garcia made 73 appearances for Castilla and contributed 30 goals. That included a prolific 2024-25 campaign in which he scored 25 goals in 36 matches.

The reliable Jimenez scored 31 goals for Fulham across three seasons. Playing under a manager who knows him inside out, Garcia will hope to announce himself to English football this season, starting with the visit to SW6 in under two weeks.