Mourinho maps out Real Madrid overhaul as he awaits the club’s new president
The coach doesn’t want star signings. He is after commitment and wants players with hunger, the desire to run and fight, with soul and without ego.
Even with his hands technically tied until Real Madrid elects its next president, José Mourinho already has the green light — and a verbal agreement — to begin shaping the blueprint for his second era in Madrid.
The first phase of his work is done. After reviewing internal accounts of what went wrong in the locker room and analyzing the final stretch of last season match by match, he’s identified the issues that left the club without major trophies for two straight years. More importantly, he knows exactly which positions need reinforcements and what type of player profiles he wants.
A squad built on hunger, not ego
Mourinho has made it clear to the club that he doesn’t need global superstars. What he wants are players with hunger, footballers wired to run, fight, and compete — professionals with soul, not ego. That’s the guiding principle he asked the club to follow before giving his approval: he doesn’t need to choose the names, but he does want control over the player profiles and the positions to strengthen.
The positions on Mourinho’s shopping list
As reported by AS, Mourinho has a clear initial plan — though he wants preseason to begin so he can evaluate players and chemistry up close. His early blueprint calls for:
- One or two center backs
- A right back
- A left back
- Two central midfielders
- One a creative “link” midfielder — the glue of the team
- One a defensive-minded holding midfielder
A commanding center back and fullback depth
Mourinho wants a veteran, authoritative center back to pair with Antonio Rüdiger, whose contract extension is expected to be announced soon. At fullback, the priority is a right back capable of competing with Trent Alexander‑Arnold. Mourinho wants two reliable players per position to guarantee internal competition and steady development.
A new left back becomes essential if Fran García leaves this summer.
The crown jewel: a creative midfielder
While Mourinho also wants a defensive midfielder who can rotate with Tchouaméni, the true centerpiece of his plan is a creative, rhythm‑setting midfielder — the player who gives meaning to the entire system.
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