Mourinho's Requests for Real Madrid
Although there has been no official announcement yet, José Mourinho is reportedly already working on planning Real Madrid's squad for next season. According to a report published by Diario AS, the Portuguese manager has identified four priority signings: a center-back, a right-back, a left-back, and a midfielder.
According to the report, Mourinho's main objective is to strengthen a defense that showed several weaknesses throughout last season. He also considers it essential to reinforce the midfield, an area that lacked control, balance, and the ability to dictate the tempo in some of the team's most important matches.
Defense Reinforcements Are a Priority
The need to sign a center-back stems largely from the depth issues the team experienced during the previous campaign. Whenever injuries occurred, the coaching staff was forced to improvise with players out of position. The departure of David Alaba leaves a significant gap in the squad and opens the door for a new partner alongside Antonio Rüdiger, who often had to shoulder too much responsibility in defense.
The situation at full-back is different. Real Madrid already has options on both flanks, but Mourinho believes internal competition is essential to maintaining a high level of performance. On the right side, the departure of Dani Carvajal forces the club to look for an alternative capable of competing and rotating with Trent Alexander-Arnold. On the left, the potential exit of Fran García would also create a vacancy that needs to be filled.
Midfield Remains the Biggest Concern
However, the absolute priority appears to be the midfield. Since the departures of Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić, the team has not found a player capable of consistently controlling and directing the game. Federico Valverde has filled that role on several occasions, but his versatility has seen him deployed as a central midfielder, full-back, and even an attacker depending on the team's needs.
As a result, Mourinho is reportedly seeking a midfielder with defensive qualities, aggression in ball recovery, and the technical ability to initiate attacking moves from deeper areas of the pitch. A player capable of providing balance without sacrificing ball progression.
No Interest in Galáctico-Style Signings
The report also states that the Portuguese coach is not interested in marquee names or high-profile signings. His priority is to bring in committed, competitive players with a winning mentality. This would not be the first time he has followed such an approach. During his first spell at Real Madrid, he placed his trust in players such as Sami Khedira and Fábio Coentrão, who arrived without superstar status but ultimately became key pieces in his system.
Mourinho knows exactly the type of player he needs to rebuild the team. Beyond individual talent, he is looking for tactically disciplined footballers capable of fulfilling specific roles within a model based on organization, competitive intensity, and total commitment to the team's playing philosophy.
