Premier League
Mourinho gains transfer power at Real Madrid for Dias and Fernandez
Jose Mourinho has been granted elevated transfer authority at Real Madrid, shifting the club’s recruitment model toward experienced players. The move follows a June 9 summit at Madrid’s Hotel Santo Mauro with director general Jose Angel Sanchez, chief scout Juni Calafat, and super-agent Jorge Mendes. Mourinho’s new role means he is now the primary architect of recruitment rather than a consultant, with control over target identification, priority-setting, and deal execution speed.
Real Madrid’s 2025 signings averaged 21 years of age, while this summer’s arrivals—Marc Cucurella (27) from Chelsea for €55 million, Bernardo Silva (31) on a free transfer from Manchester City, and Ibrahima Konate (27) following his Liverpool contract expiry—average nearly 29. Denzel Dumfries (28) is expected to join from Inter Milan for around €20 million to replace Dani Carvajal.
Enzo Fernandez (24) is Mourinho’s midfield priority, but Chelsea’s valuation and Madrid’s budget are misaligned. Diario AS report Chelsea seek around €138 million for the Argentina international, while Madrid prefer to stay below €100 million plus bonuses. Fernandez finished last season as one of the Premier League’s more complete central midfielders, fitting Mourinho’s demand for leadership and work rate.
If Fernandez cannot be secured, Diario AS name West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes (22) as a fallback option. Mourinho’s pursuit reflects his stated need for a midfielder with a fiercely competitive edge.
Ruben Dias (27) is being considered as Madrid’s defensive anchor alongside Konate, with reporting Mourinho has sounded out the Manchester City centre-back. Madrid’s back line currently lacks sufficient experience, with Antonio Rudiger turning 33 and Eder Militao injury-prone.
Diario AS list Alessandro Bastoni and Nico Schlotterbeck as alternative defensive targets, indicating Dias is preferred but not the only option. Manchester City have not publicly stated their position, though Dias remains under contract and valued at around £65 million in English reporting.
Mourinho’s expanded influence has already delivered results: Cucurella’s deal was concluded quickly, Silva secured ahead of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, and Konate arrived without protracted negotiation. The club is also exploring terminating Dani Ceballos’ contract a year early to manage wage structure ahead of further arrivals.
Florentino Pérez’s interest in a €150 million move for Julian Alvarez has been noted, though its progress depends partly on Vinicius Junior’s contract extension negotiations, which remain on hold.