Mourinho wants Asencio and Lunin to depart as soon as possible

José Mourinho has indicated that he no longer wants to see two players return to Real Madrid, reports The Athletic. It concerns the 23‑year‑old defender Raúl Asencio and the Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, both of whom currently have few playing minutes.

Asencio's injury blocks comeback

Asencio could already leave Real Madrid last summer, after he had turned down offers from Galatasaray and various English clubs. He had hoped to prove himself under the returning Mourinho, but a serious injury in pre‑season thwarted that chance. A stress fracture in his right shin will keep the defender on the sidelines for months. He may not return until early 2027, after being operated on last week. Lunin has received regular minutes in recent years because Thibaut Courtois has been repeatedly injured. The Ukrainian goalkeeper has already defended Real Madrid's goal more than seventy times. Now that Courtois is fully fit, Mourinho doubts Lunin as the desired number one for the future. The Portuguese manager has indicated that Lunin can leave in the winter transfer window.

Real Madrid's locker room turmoil deepens as Mourinho struggles

While Mourinho wants to discard the two players as quickly as possible, their careers at Real Madrid remain hampered by injury and lack of confidence. Both cases illustrate the difficult choices the Portuguese manager has to make at a club that is now fully fit again.