Although it will take a little extra time, Jose Mourinho will be appointed as the new manager of Real Madrid – and he has already decided on his first signing.
Jose Mourinho is said to have convinced one of Barcelona’s most important transfer targets to go to Real Madrid instead, before he is expected to be hired as manager of the white giants.
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It has been claimed that the Portuguese manager has already signed a two-year contract to become Real Madrid boss, thus returning to the club he previously coached between 2010 and 2013.
Nevertheless, Real Madrid’s presidential election will take place on June 7, where businessman Enrique Riquelme is challenging the incumbent president Florentino Pérez.
TNT Sports reports that hiring a new manager in the middle of the selection process is considered “very risky and bad practice”, delaying and making Mourinho’s arrival more expensive.
As of now, he is still in charge of Portuguese giants Benfica, but he is already planning his first moves as future Real Madrid manager.
Real Madrid’s first transfer under Mourinho has been decided
Spanish media outlet El Debate reports that one of Mourinho’s main priorities is to sign a new centre-back, as David Alaba is leaving the club as a free agent this summer.
Real have Dean Huijsen, Antonio Rüdiger, Raúl Asencio and Éder Militão as their main centre-backs, but Militão has experienced several injury problems, and Asencio’s performances were not particularly reliable during last season.
Rüdiger, on the other hand, is 33 years old and played with injuries in the 2024/25 season, which could affect his availability going forward.
He is out of contract next month, but according to The Athletic, he has still agreed to a one-year extension.
Mourinho is said to have “asked for two centre-backs”, and he is working with super agent Jorge Mendes to identify key players.
It is claimed that he has “personally convinced” Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni to become his first signing, despite Barcelona also showing great interest in the player.
Bastoni is said to be “angry” at Barca after the club “said they would try to sign him, and then left him”.
Mourinho “really wants” the 27-year-old centre-back, who is available for around €75 million.
Inter’s negotiating position is strengthened by the fact that they won Serie A under new manager Cristian Chivu, and therefore will play Champions League football next season as well.
However, Real Madrid could include a player going in the opposite direction, as part of a deal for Bastoni, who is believed to be interested in leaving Serie A and moving to Spain.
Inter president Giuseppe Marotta recently told DAZN that he wants to keep the Italian international stopper, who will not play in the World Cup this summer as Italy failed to qualify for the third time in a row.
“We don’t sell on principle,” he said. “If a player leaves the club, it is because he himself has expressed a desire to leave.
“Bastoni has certainly not expressed any desire to leave. He’s happy to stay here with us, so we don’t have to sell him.”
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