Jorge Cuenca joins Fulham from Villarreal
Fulham confirm signing of Jorge Cuenca from Villarreal Credit: Macdara Ferris (ETPhotos)
Fulham have confirmed the acquisition of defender Jorge Cuenca from Villarreal. The 24-year-old has signed a four-year contract, which includes an option to extend for an additional year, keeping him at Craven Cottage until 2028.
Cuenca, known for his versatility as a left-sided centre-half and left-back, expressed his enthusiasm for the move in an interview with FFCtv from the club’s training base in the Algarve.
“I’m really, really happy. I'm so proud to be here. I'm so happy to be here and to play for Fulham,” he said.
“The club is an historical club and Craven Cottage is an historical stadium. I prefer Fulham because of the city, the club, obviously the historical stadium, and I want to play in the Premier League.”
Tony Khan, Fulham's vice chairman, also shared his excitement about the signing. “I'm happy to welcome centre-back Jorge Cuenca to Fulham! He's a talented young player, we expect that he'll continue to develop under Marco's great coaching, and believe that he'll be a great asset to the squad! Come on Fulham!”
Born in Madrid, Cuenca began his career at Alcorcón, becoming their youngest ever player before transferring to Barcelona at 17. He played regularly for Barcelona’s B team and made his senior debut in a 1-0 Copa del Rey victory in October 2018.
In 2020, Cuenca moved to Villarreal in a multi-million euro deal and was immediately loaned to Almeria, where he helped the team reach the Segunda División Play-Offs and the Copa del Rey Quarter-Finals. He scored three goals in 37 appearances for Almeria.
The following season, Cuenca was loaned to Getafe, becoming a regular in La Liga with 32 appearances, contributing to the team’s effort to maintain their top-flight status. He was then integrated into Villarreal’s squad for the 2022/23 season, playing every minute of their UEFA Europa Conference League campaign and becoming a key player in their defence.
Last season, Cuenca cemented his place in Villarreal’s backline, missing only a few games as they finished eighth in La Liga and reached the Europa League knockouts. He departs Villarreal with 60 appearances and three goals.
Internationally, Cuenca has represented Spain up to the Under-21 level, playing a role in their run to the semi-finals of the 2021 European Championship, where he was named in the Team of the Tournament.
