Everything but the official announcement is left for Jose Mourinho's move back to Real Madrid, as the former La Liga champion and record points holder is set to take on the same task he accomplished more than a decade ago when he rescued Real from back to back trophyless seasons - and taught them how to win again, setting the stage for six Champions Leagues after he had already moved on.
Real Madrid are mired in turmoil and need a real leader in the locker room to set them straight with a iron fist, as the egos of players like Kylian Mbappe - and even secondary squad players like Alvaro Carreras - have run amok with no retribution or power to the manager. Mourinho will change all that.
But Mourinho also needs to help push Florentino Perez and Real Madrid to strengthen key areas of the squad, particularly in neglectd positions of need in defense and midfield that have been glossed over in what is increasingly looking like another failed Galacticos vanity project of the mid 2020s.
Jose Mourinho thinks outside the box
According to a report from Miguel Angel Diaz of COPE, even as the rumors around Rodri of Manchester City are becoming more rampant with Pep Guardiola officially set to abdicate his long held post at the Etihad, Jose Mourinho has a different defensive midfield signing in mind for Merengues.
Reportedly, Mourinho has added the potential 50 million euro signing of Sporting CP star Morten Hjulmand on his list of requests from Florentino Perez and Real Madrid for the summer 2026 when he takes the job officially.
Hjulmand is one of the most respected players in the Portuguese league, whom Mourinho has gotten an up and close personal look during his undefeated, third place season with Sporting's rivals Benfica. Already 26, Hjulmand is no longer a prospect in world football, but he is only just entering his prime.
Linked frequenty to Manchester United in the Ruben Amorim days and to big clubs like Juventis in Serie A, Hjulmand seems like a step below the players Real Madrid usually get, but there is also a sense that Real need to go after undervalued experienced players who can do the job in these key positions of need and provide quality immediately, versus gambling on unproven - and potentially overrated - young players.
Mourinho's talent ID is still vastly underappreciated and nearly unmatched. If he really sees something special in Hjulmand and something Real Madrid are missing with Aurelien Tchouameni coming off another weak season, then who are Los Blancos to say no to the Special One?
Add us as a preferred source on Google