Incoming Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is not a man who messes around, and any Madridista who was around for his highly successful first stint as the club's manager in the early 2010s can attest to that fact.
Mourinho has already pushed Real Madrid to sign two world class defenders in Ibrahima Konate and Denzel Dumfries, the latter being a very personal pick from another one of his old club's in reigning Serie A champions Inter Milan.
The Portuguese manager is still after Dumfries's center back teammate Alessandro Bastoni, but three more realistic defensive signings Mourinho is pushing for Real Madrid are Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori, Dortmund's Nico Schlotterbeck, and, of course, Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol.
Jose Mourinho is pushing hard for Josko Gvardiol
Jose Mourinho wants to land a better left back and a more defensive player who can switch between a back four and a three to replace the mercurial Benfica product Alvaro Carreras, and while Calafiori seemed to be on even footing at one point, it is becoming clear that Gvardiol is the weapon of choice for Real Madrid.
According to a fresh report from Diario AS, via Madrid Xtra, Mourinho is now pounding the table for the Manchester City star. Mourinho has told Real Madrid that he views Gvardiol as essential to the club, and, now, Gvardiol has caught wind of just how interested Madrid are, increasing his own interest in the Spanish giants while putting his contract negotiations with Manchester City on hold.
Although Pep Guardiola's departure as Man City manager has increased the odds of stars like Savinho and Rodri leaving the club following their failure to win the Premier League again, Josko Gvardiol is one of the players Man City desperately want to keep.
You can see why everyone values Gvardiol so highly. Even before he went to the Premier League powerhouse, Real Madrid were very interested in the Croatian international after stellar performances alongside Luka Modric at multiple World Cups, as well as great displays for RB Leipzig.
Real Madrid were not serious enough about signing him and have since regretted it. But now, they can all make it right, and Jose Mourinho is showing off his massive, massive pull by getting Gvardiol to reconsider and opening the door for arguably Real's biggest Champions League rival over the last five years to sell one of their most coveted players directly to them. Whether at left back or center back, Gvardiol would be a guaranteed starter for Real Madrid.
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