Mourinho rejects Real Madrid squad clear‑out, backs stars

Jose Mourinho, newly appointed as Real Madrid manager, will begin work at the club's Valdebebas training complex on July 13. He addressed the squad‑clear‑out rumours on Adebayo Akinfenwa’s Beast Mode On podcast, insisting no major overhaul is planned.

Mourinho rejected he intends to cut "some of the best players who supposedly had problems during the season," stating, "No, no, I want these players, I want these players, I want the best." The Portuguese coach emphasized his desire to keep the current stars.

He added that his task is to "find a way to have a team and not have the problems" that he read about from previous seasons, indicating a focus on collective strength rather than wholesale changes.

Speaking about squad quality, Mourinho said, "The best problem a coach can have is having the best players," and warned that "problems with players who aren’t very good" would be a bigger issue for any manager.

When asked about the ongoing World Cup, he joked, "I want the Real Madrid players to lose and go on vacation. Because I want the lads back for pre‑season," and noted he "switches off after ten minutes" of early matches, adding that a 7‑1 or 5‑1 scoreline "shouldn’t happen at a World Cup."

Mourinho named Real Madrid as the best dressing room of his career. The accompanying images were captured by Carlos Rodrigues and Kevin C. Cox.