Incoming Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is a man known for his mercruial habits, but he is also a man known for winning. Mourinho turned the Royal Whites around the first time he was their manager, taking them from a club that could not win anything to one that won everything years after he had left his post.
Florentino Perez is calling the Portuguese international back again after two straight trophyless seasons, and Mou will be tasked with getting the star players to fight for a common cause again, having lost their way in 2024 following the Kylian Mbappe blockbuster free agent transfer.
But Mourinho's first task will be overhauling the defense. Real Madrid have already provided the former Inter Milan treble winner with two shiny new defensive stars in Inter's right back Denzel Dumfries, as well as Trent Alexander-Arnold old Liverpool partner Ibrahima Konate.
Real Madrid could have a back three
Real Madrid are still after more signings defensively, and Jose Felix Diaz of Diario AS is reporting, via the Madrid Zone, that Jose Mourinho is prioritizing defensive stars who are versatile enough to play multiple positions. Hence why Real Madrid are so interested in signing Premier League stars Riccardo Calafiori from Arsenal and Josko Gvardiol from Manchester City. Most importantly, Mourinho has dreams of creating a defense that can seamlessly switch between a back three and a back four. Because Dumfries and Alexander-Arnold are more attacking right backs, he also wants a defensive left back to counter them.
Real Madrid fans have wondered about a possible back three or hybrid back line in the past, even under Zinedine Zidane in 2020/21, given the issues with recruiting top fullbacks. Right now, even after signing Trent, Real's fullbacks are the worst they have been in ages, and they do need a top left back to right the ship.
Overall, Real Madrid have lacked defensive solidity for a long time, and not since Zinedine Zidane overhauled the unit en route to a return to the La Liga title in 2019/20 have Real Madrid truly boasted a top defense. Because even Carlo Ancelotti did not have a great unit at his disposal when he won the Champions League twice.
Mourinho is unsurprisingly set to make major changes to Real Madrid, and it is all going to start with his specialty, the defense. Real Madrid management clearly seem willing to back the new coach to the fullest this summer with the changes he has in mind.
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