Real Madrid began a new chapter under the presidency of Florentino Pérez, with José Mourinho taking charge and demonstrating clear intentions to remodel the team. According to information from The Athletic, the club's management is moving aggressively in the transfer market, especially after the re-election of Pérez, who defeated Enrique Riquelme in the elections.
Mourinho, who is signed until 2029, quickly began to exert influence on the recruitment strategy. The coach met last week with general director José Angel Sánchez and chief scout Juni Calafat at a hotel in Madrid, where super agent Jorge Mendes was also present. This meeting appears to have accelerated the club's activity in the market.
One of the most significant moves this summer was the signing of Bernardo Silva, who left Manchester City. Both Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid were monitoring the player, but Real Madrid acted quickly as soon as it became clear that Bernardo would not renew with City. For Mourinho, Bernardo is a player who brings tactical intelligence, versatility and elite control under pressure, being able to play in midfield or on the wings, characteristics that Mourinho values in important games.
In addition to Bernardo, Madrid also secured Marc Cucurella, from Chelsea, in a deal valued at 55 million euros, with a further 5 million in variables. The left-back had already expressed his desire to leave Chelsea, and preliminary negotiations began several weeks earlier. Initially, the club considered alternatives such as Josko Gvardiol and Riccardo Calafiori, but Mourinho specifically asked Cucurella, as other talks did not progress.
Real Madrid's defensive restructuring is not yet complete. Denzel Dumfries has already joined the team after the club activated his €20 million release clause, and Ibrahima Konaté is close to an agreement to join for free. These signings follow the departures of Dani Carvajal and David Alaba, both important in the club's recent history.
For the defensive axis, other names under consideration include Ruben Dias from Manchester City, Nico Schlotterbeck from Borussia Dortmund and Alessandro Bastoni from Inter Milan. The list reveals Madrid's ambition to look for big names, as Mourinho seeks to add physical authority and leadership to the defense.