Although Fede Valverde had some stunning highs last season for Real Madrid and was not at his worst from a quality perspective with performances like his hat trick against Manchester City in the Champions League, the Uruguayan international is in a low moment as a whole.
Questions have been asked about Fede as a leader after his disgruntled behavior towards former manager Xabi Alonso, his tiff with Aurelien Tchouameni, and his recent terrible performances as Uruguay exited the 2026 World Cup in the group stages.
But despite the transfer rumors that Real Madrid were never going to seriously engage with, Fede is slated to be an important part of the squad next season. Real Madrid have decided not to sell him as part of their midfield overhaul, as Eduardo Camavinga and Tchouameni are closer on the list of departures.
Jose Mourinho wants to use Fede's long legs
What Real Madrid need to do is support Fede Valverde in playing at his best, because his trajectory towards true superstardom has tailed off badly these last two seasons. According to a report from Diario AS, via Madrid Xtra, Jose Mourinho thinks he has the right plan to maximize the Uruguayan international. His idea is to focus on having Valverde tactically exploiting space and playing more on the counter, rather than playing in possession or recycling stagnantly.
That sounds like a welcome change to most Madridistas. Fede's best work under Carlo Ancelotti was done when he could take advantage of his long legs, stamina, and abilty to bypass the lines with the ball at his feet. From there, he can score goals and make things happen, and even last season, his best performances were when he was able to play like this, such as in that game against Manchester City when he was devastating on the break.
Valverde is one of Real's most valuable players and was central to multiple Champions League and La Liga crowns, even back in 2019/20 when he first emerged as a key role player under Zinedine Zidane before changing the club's fortunes in 2021/22 when Carlo Ancelotti introduced him as a starter.
Although Valverde has had to answer uncomfortable questions here in 2026, he has the character and fire that Jose Mourinho himself has and loves to see in his players. And as any Madridista who watched Mourinho in his peak form at the Santiago Bernabeu can attest, there is nothing quite like watching Real Madrid in full flow with Mou coaching when the players are counterattacking like demons.
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