Real Madrid are gearing up for a new era under Portuguese manager José Mourinho, who is preparing for his second stint in charge of the club.
Mourinho’s first tenure was legendary, not only for his iconic clashes with Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona but also for the solid foundation he established.
The successes achieved by Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane built upon that foundation, and Mourinho merits fair credit for his role.
Now, he returns for a second spell at a moment when Real Madrid are struggling to compete domestically.
Fans and analysts alike are eager to see how Mourinho will shape the squad, which players he prefers, and what style of play he will adopt.
Mourinho is implementing sweeping changes. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images)
A key question concerns the composition of the midfield under the former Inter Milan and Manchester United manager.
The two-pronged midfield
According to Ramon Alvarez de Mon, José Mourinho intends to construct Real Madrid’s midfield around two players: Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham.
The former is a key player and club captain, and one of the few who delivered a solid 2025/26 season.
Bellingham, however, has struggled to replicate the heights of his debut season and hopes Mourinho can improve his form.
Regardless of recent form, both players possess elite quality, and it is unsurprising that Mourinho has singled them out as the cornerstone of his midfield.
The core of Mourinho’s midfield at Real Madrid. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images)
It is essential to recognise that, despite building around these two players, they alone will not be sufficient to steer the team.
Real Madrid’s most pressing need is a deep‑lying orchestrator—a long‑awaited successor to Toni Kroos.
The club have partially addressed this by signing Bernardo Silva, yet the former Manchester City captain functions more as a versatile utility piece than a specialist in that role.
The club has been linked with Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández, a profile they believe is essential for Mourinho’s midfield.
Significant transfer work remains to be done, and it is uncertain how Mourinho’s midfield will evolve over the coming months or whether the club will recruit additional talent to support the manager.
