Although Enrique Riquelme challenging Florentino Perez for the Real Madrid presidency has complicated things, Jose Mourinho is fully expected to be the next coach of the Merengue club, regardless of the timing or how much compensation Real will have to give to Benfica this year in order to make a big signing from them.
Mourinho saved Real Madrid from the doldrums of two straight trophyless seasons before, and Florentino is confident he will do so again. With all the drama that the 2025/26 season has brought, the downside of Mourinho blowing things up behind the scenes isn't even seen as a downside anymore; Madridistas do not see anything to lose and a lot to gain by having the Special One back in the building.
There has been a lot of talk about how Mourinho will view the big names in the dressing room, because he hates players with big egos who do not fight for the team. And that has led many to circle the name of Kylian Mbappe, whose post game tirade against former manager Alvaro Arbeloa, a former pupil of Mou's on the pitch, after the Real Oviedo match did not go over well.
Endrick is ready to make noise
Endrick is ready to return to Real Madrid after a brilliant half season with Lyon, and while there is a school of thought that Real will be using his left foot on that right wing, Onda Cero reports, via Madrid Xtra, that in addition to Jose Mourinho being a fan of Endrick's, the Portuguese manager has plans to make the teenager an option at striker - not just on the right wing.
The Brazilian international performed significantly better as a center forward in his brilliant tenure with Lyon than he did on the right wing, as Paulo Fonseca found out, and if Fonseca can figure that out, then Mourinho is definitely going to understand coming into his Real Madrid return that Endrick is better in the middle than on the right.
And that is all not as good news for Kylian Mbappe, who must have loved the early reports about Endrick likely playing more on the right. He will get opportunities at both, though, and if he outplays Mbappe and Mbappe does not step up to play for the team, Mourinho is not like Alvaro Arbeloa or Xabi Alonso. Florentino Perez is giving him more power, and Mourinho is not afraid to prove he is the biggest man in the building. Mbappe needs to watch his back.
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