Mourinho’s new demands… an 80 million defender and an impossible dream

José Mourinho has outlined his new demands for completing Real Madrid’s squad, placing the signing of a left-back at the top of his list of priorities. Alessandro Bastoni’s name has resurfaced in the mix, while he also wants to bring in João Neves to bolster the midfield, despite the difficulty of convincing Paris Saint-Germain to part with their Portuguese player.

Despite the significant signings Real Madrid made during the summer transfer window, Mourinho doesn’t believe his squad is yet complete. He believes two positions clearly need strengthening before the transfer window closes.

According to the newspaper Sport, the Portuguese coach is pressuring the club’s management to expedite the departure of players who are not part of his plans, while simultaneously pursuing the signing of a left-sided center-back, as he is not entirely convinced by some of the available options in the back line.

Alessandro Bastoni’s name stands out among the top candidates in a potential transfer that would be a major surprise, given that the Italian defender has been linked with Barcelona. Barcelona had previously expressed strong interest in signing him before backing out due to the high transfer fee. Real Madrid, on the other hand, might be willing to pay around €80 million to secure the deal.

In midfield, Mourinho believes the team still needs a player capable of creating plays and orchestrating attacks, especially given the lack of a figure similar to Toni Kroos or Luka Modric.

Among the names being considered, João Neves is a preferred option for the Portuguese coach, who believes his compatriot possesses the quality and character to be a key player for Real Madrid, despite his young age.

However, Neves’s dream seems the most complicated. He is a fundamental part of Paris Saint-Germain’s project, the French club’s relationship with Real Madrid is not ideal, and the player is under a long-term contract.

Thus, Mourinho presents Real Madrid’s management with a clear equation: a defensive signing that could hold a big surprise, and a midfielder the coach dreams of, but reaching him seems closer to an impossible task.