Real Madrid rejects Mourinho's request

Real Madrid is confronted with a midfield problem after the leadership turned down Jose Mourinho's request for reinforcements, compelling the Portuguese manager to solve it with the existing players.

Although they spent heavily in the summer 2026 transfer market, Real Madrid still cannot fully resolve the midfield issue.. Notably, the Royal club's board is said to have rejected Jose Mourinho's request for reinforcements, while asking the Portuguese tactician to find a solution with the current roster.

According to Mundo Deportivo,, Mourinho has repeatedly emphasized to President Florentino Perez that Real Madrid needs another top-class central midfielder to balance the play. Although the team has signed Bernardo Silva, the former Chelsea and AS Roma coach still believes the Portuguese player is not the type of midfielder who can fill the void left by Toni Kroos or Luka Modric.

In recent years, Real Madrid's midfield has undergone constant changes following the departures of Casemiro, Toni Kroos, and most recently Luka Modric. The team has shifted to building a style of play based on strength and stamina with Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, and Federico Valverde. However, this approach has not yet yielded the expected results.

Pulling Jude Bellingham into a deeper position also significantly limits the English midfielder's goal-scoring ability, while Real Madrid lacks a player capable of controlling the tempo of the game and delivering decisive passes.

However, Florentino Perez has no intention of further shopping. Real Madrid's leadership believes the team already has enough personnel in the midfield area and will only consider additions if a player leaves the Bernabeu, with Eduardo Camavinga seen as the most likely to depart.

Many board members believe the issue is not the quality of the players but how Mourinho arranges the lineup. They expect 'The Special One' to find the optimal formula to maximize the potential of the current midfield.

In the summer transfer window, Real Madrid brought in Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, and Bernardo Silva, while parting ways with Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, Dani Ceballos, and Fran Garcia.

The decision not to meet Mourinho's request means that pressure now falls entirely on the Portuguese coach., as he must prove that he can help Real Madrid regain balance in the midfield without any new signings.