José Mourinho’s Real Madrid is slowly taking shape. The Portuguese technician, back at Casa Blanca, already has a clear idea of how he wants his troops to play. Ideally, the Special One would like to set up a 4-2-3-1 with a number 10 role given to Jude Bellingham. To achieve this, the Setubal native asked Florentino Pérez for reinforcements. Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva and Marc Cucurella have already been recruited. But Mourinho still wants fresh blood. Indeed, he would like his club to buy another central defender.
Nico Schlotterbeck (BVB), Ruben Dias (Manchester City) and Alessandro Bastoni (Inter) are the names that come up most often. In the midfield, the Lusitanian technician made Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea) his priority. The Argentinian is ready to come and the Blues are open to a sale. But its price, namely €140 million, is considered high for the moment. In the offensive sector, Michael Olise (Bayern Munich) is always appreciated. But the Bavarians are not sellers. They will only open the door if a proposal greater than €220 million arrives in their offices. A sum considered, again, too large.
Mourinho makes his revolution
For the moment, the Merengues have left this track aside. In attack, Mourinho does not rule out the arrival of a Joselu reinforcement. But with all these people, the Portuguese coach would like to make some room. Fran Garcia, Raul Asensio, Dani Ceballos, Ferland Mendy and even Eduardo Camavinga, who does not want to leave, are notably on his blacklist. But these elements, some of which do not want to move, risk causing problems. Mourinho does not want to work with a group that is too large in quantity, with elements on whom he does not count and who will therefore not have much to eat.
But this is not the only concern for the coach and Real Madrid. Sport indicates that the Madrid club faces a big headache since it is only authorized to include 25 players on the list for the Champions League. Of these 25, 8 players must be trained in a Spanish club, including 4 at Real Madrid. FIFA considers players trained at the club, elements who have completed their training within the team between the ages of 15 and 21 for three full seasons (consecutive or not) regardless of nationality.
Real Madrid risks lacking players trained at the club or in Spain
Fede Valverde, Vinícius Jr, Rodrygo and Arda Güler fall into this box this season. Some of them were also among the 10 players considered to have been trained at the club. Dani Carvajal, Raul Asencio, Alvaro Carreras, Fran García, Fede Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Ceballos, Rodrygo, Vinícius Jr and Gonzalo Garcia were affected. The problem for the club is that it will not be able to count on everyone. Carvajal is gone. Carreras, Asencio, Fran Garcia, Camavinga and Ceballos are pushed out. Mourinho has not yet decided for Gonzalo, who is being courted by several teams. Seven players could therefore no longer be in the squad by the end of the summer. Sport indicates that counting Rodrygo, Vini and Valverde as well as Güler and Cucurella, this would bring the figure to 5 players.
We cannot add Endrick, who arrived at 18 but did not spend 3 full seasons in Madrid. All this therefore risks impacting the Madrid transfer window since Sport adds that some elements could ultimately remain for this reason. Alvaro Carreras and Gonzalo Garcia are among them. Same thing for Thiago Pitarch, who was not initially part of the Special One plans. The coach leaves it to Florentino Pérez to find solutions. This could impact downsizing, but also recruitment if foreign players were to sign. If Real Madrid fails to register these famous 8 players trained in Spain, the total number of players will be reduced accordingly. The club could therefore not register 25 players, but fewer. There is no doubt that the Merengues are doing what is necessary to ensure that everything is resolved.
