Fulham transfer news: Cottagers 'leading' race to sign £17m-rated La Liga attacker

Fulham are reportedly interested in signing Real Betis attacker Rodrigo Riquelme.

The Cottagers have proven to be a tough team to beat in recent times after avoiding defeat in each of their last four Premier League matches.

However, the 15th-placed side will surely feel they would be in a much stronger position were it not for their struggles in the final third, having mustered 10 goals from their 10 league games this season.

Their focus may be on bolstering the number nine spot, but they could also look to strengthen their wide options in the January window.

Fulham leading Riquelme race

According to TEAMtalk, the Cottagers have identified Betis’ Riquelme as a target for their winter transfer business.

The report claims Alvaro Arbeloa’s side are leading Coventry City and a number of Serie A clubs in the race for Riquelme’s signature.

Betis are said to be ‘calm’ about the player’s situation, especially as he is under contract with the Andalusian side until the summer of 2030.

That said, Betis have set Riquelme’s valuation at around €20m (£17m), offering a glimmer of hope to his potential suitors ahead of the new year.

Who is Fulham's transfer target?

After working his way through the youth system at Atletico Madrid, Riquelme spent time on loan gaining useful experience at Bournemouth, Mirandes and Girona.

Riquelme went on to make 75 competitive appearances for Atletico before he completed a permanent move to Betis in the summer of 2025.

The winger struggled to show his true potential in his first season with Manuel Pellegrini’s side, but he has been in encouraging form in the opening few months of the current campaign.

Riquelme has scored five goals and provided two assists in 15 competitive appearances this season, including a crucial brace as Betis avoided a Copa del Rey upset in Thursday’s 3-2 win over Navalcarnero after extra time.

While Riquelme appears to be on an upward trajectory, his potential suitors may want to see his performances over a longer period before they pursue a move.

That line of thinking could rule out a January transfer, especially as Betis will be more reluctant to sanction a sale in the middle of the season than would at the end of the campaign.