The way the La Liga season is progressing, Jose Mourinho seems to be right that there are shortcomings in the squad. “The Portuguese asked for more reinforcements in the summer, but didn’t get it.
José Mourinho asked for several signings for Real Madrid in the last transfer window – specifically a creative midfielder and an extra centre-back – but Florentino Pérez ended the summer without completing either of these two operations. Just a few weeks later, injuries in the defence and doubts in the build-up have left the team struggling in the very positions the coach wanted to strengthen.
Read: The price tag on Viktor Gyökeres has been set – talks about Arsenal’s plan with the Swede
The club nevertheless fulfilled a significant part of Mourinho’s wishes. Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva, Yan Diomande and Carlos Espí were the six signings for the 2026/27 season, but the market closed without the other centre-back and midfielder Mourinho had requested.
José Mourinho wanted an extra centre-back – now there is a lack of people
The defensive situation explains one of the wishes. Real Madrid brought in Konaté, but Mourinho had envisioned an extra centre-back to strengthen a position that already went into the summer with physical question marks.
The problem appeared very early. Raúl Asencio, who has yet to make his official debut this season, underwent surgery on October 1 for a stress fracture in his right shin bone. Estimates that have been published point to an absence of around two to four months.
Added to this absence is the situation of Éder Militão, who has just started his gradual return to training after being out for over five months due to his near tendon injury. Konaté has also recently been training separately while recovering from his physical problems.
The lack of width becomes even more evident when a suspension occurs. Dean Huijsen is unavailable for the next LaLiga game following his sending off in the derby, reducing the options for Mourinho.
The midfielder Mourinho asked for did not come to Real Madrid either
The other desired signing was a creative midfielder. The main target was Rodri, who Real Madrid negotiated with during the summer after Mourinho pointed to that position as a priority in the rebuilding of the squad. They also tried to sign Enzo Fernández, who was a specific desire of Mourinho.
The deal didn’t work out, and the midfielder eventually opted for Barcelona. After that, Mourinho publicly downplayed the need for the signing, mentioning that he had Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Fede Valverde, Bernardo Silva, and Arda Güler available to fill various roles in midfield.
However, the early games have reopened the discussion. Mourinho even used Trent Alexander-Arnold as a midfielder alongside Valverde, while the duo of Tchouaméni and the Uruguayan have not completely solved the team’s ball distribution issues.
A creative midfielder is missing
The absence of that profile is a decision made in consultation with Florentino Pérez. The club chose not to pick up an option after losing Rodri, instead focusing on starting the season with the midfielders that were available.
The next few weeks will determine how well Real Madrid are able to deal with these weaknesses until the January window. Injuries have limited their options in defence, and the search for a stable structure in midfield continues – precisely the two positions José Mourinho had pointed out before the start of LaLiga.
Read on Radiosporten: The world’s ten highest paid national team managers
