José Mourinho's Squad Dilemma at Real Madrid
José Mourinho has never hidden his preference: a tight group, clear roles, no passengers. Right now at Real Madrid, he has anything but that.
The Portuguese coach is working with a 26-man squad at Valdebebas. His ideal number? Twenty outfield players, plus the three long-term absentees: Éder Militao, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy. On Mourinho’s own terms, that means three players too many, even with the injured counted inside the group.
He spelled it out after the match in Budapest. “I want a small squad, made up of 20 players plus the injured ones,” he said. Since then, the picture has grown more crowded. Thiago Pitarch has been promoted to the first team, pushing the tally up to 26 and sharpening the need for an exit door.
A €225m squad built to Mourinho’s image
Real Madrid have already done the heavy lifting this summer. The club spent 225 million euros on six signings to shape a squad to Mourinho’s liking: Diomande, Cucurella, Dumfries, Konaté, Bernardo Silva and Carlos Espai. Rodri was supposed to be the marquee arrival, but the Manchester City midfielder left the club at a delicate moment, and there are currently no plans to dive back into the market for another central midfielder.
For now, the coach appears broadly satisfied. The spine is there, the competition is there. What remains is trimming the excess.
One option still quietly on the table is a new central defender. That depends on whether Real Madrid receive a strong offer for Asensio and, crucially, whether the academy product agrees to go. He keeps repeating that he wants to stay. The club, for the moment, listen and wait.
Versatility as a survival kit
Three players sit on the edge of Mourinho’s plans. In this Real Madrid, versatility is the best protection a player can have.
Arda Güler and Bernardo Silva are prime examples. Both can operate across the front line, both can drop into midfield. Jude Bellingham offers similar flexibility, able to influence the game between the lines or deeper. These are the profiles Mourinho leans on: footballers who solve more than one problem at once.
He has little time for those who linger on the fringes. In his view, keeping players with no realistic chance of minutes only invites frustration, then tension, then a dressing room that turns heavy. That is exactly what he wants to avoid.
Camavinga, Endrick and the delicate decisions
Camavinga is one of the names Real Madrid still hope could bring in a significant fee. The reality is different. No serious offer has arrived for the Frenchman this summer, and his public signals have leaned toward staying. That stance could shift if a major club steps forward, but until then, the situation remains stuck.
If the right proposal lands on the president’s desk, Madrid would not block a move. Mourinho liked what Camavinga showed in pre-season and has praised his work in training, yet admiration will not override the broader squad plan if big money comes in.
Endrick’s case was more delicate. The club seriously considered sending him out on loan, but that idea was shelved at Mourinho’s request, according to Spanish newspaper AS. The Brazilian will stay in the squad, at least for now.
Attention turns instead to Mendy. Left-back is one of the few positions with three options, and Mendy is viewed as a difficult player to rely on, not least because of his physical issues. Madrid would like to resolve his future, but, again according to AS, the defender has no intention of leaving at this point.
Asensio’s gamble and the clock of the window
Asensio is another key piece in this end-of-window puzzle. Real Madrid are waiting for offers; the player is waiting for his chance.
The academy graduate believes he can convince Mourinho that he belongs in this project. He worked hard through pre-season to make that case before a muscular quadriceps injury stopped him cold. The setback will keep him out of training at Valdebebas for around six weeks, a brutal timing for any player hoping to move or force his way into the coach’s plans.
Those weeks matter. Every day lost to rehab is a day closer to the transfer deadline, and serious offers become harder to attract when a player cannot step on the pitch.
Two per position – and a few too many
Mourinho’s blueprint is simple: two players for every position. No more, no less. On paper, Real Madrid are close to that structure. In practice, a surplus still hangs over certain areas.
Central defence remains crowded until Militao recovers, and his return date is still uncertain. Left-back is overstocked, with Mendy the most fragile piece. On the right wing, numbers are high as well, though Bernardo Silva’s ability to slide into midfield eases the congestion. Up front, there is genuine abundance.
From the club’s perspective, any departure from this cluster of players will be welcomed as a positive adjustment rather than a loss. If the market does not move, they will stay, and Mourinho will manage the numbers as best he can.
The core of his squad is already in place. The system, the hierarchy, the investment – all set. What remains, as the transfer window ticks toward its close, is a familiar Madrid question: who will still be standing when the music stops?
