Federico Valverde was one of the most talked-about players in the Real Madrid camp at the end of last season, when he got into a locker room brawl with Aurelien Tchouameni.

This was followed by a forgettable World Cup campaign with Uruguay, with Valverde failing to lead his nation to the Round of 16, falling behind Cabo Verde and Spain.

Following Uruguay’s early exit, Valverde is set to return to the Santiago Bernabeu this summer, hoping to make amends under the leadership of Jose Mourinho.

Real Madrid have faith in Valverde

According to AS, despite the turbulence of the past few months, Real Madrid continue to regard Valverde as an essential part of their project.

With Dani Carvajal having departed the club this summer, Valverde is set to become Real Madrid’s first-choice captain. It represents a major show of trust in the Uruguayan, who will now be expected to lead the dressing room through a new era under Mourinho.

The decision is particularly notable given everything that has unfolded. Valverde’s bust-up with Tchouameni was one of the lowest points of Real Madrid’s season, with the incident escalating over two days before culminating in the Frenchman being hospitalised.

Both players were fined half a million euros, yet the club have clearly decided to move forward with Valverde as a central figure.

It must be noted that the midfielder also endured strained relationships with several coaches. He was identified as one of Xabi Alonso’s internal rivals and was a focal point of the Bernabeu’s frustration following Alonso’s dismissal.

His relationship with Uruguay boss Marcelo Bielsa also broke down, with Valverde among the players who confronted the coach before the decisive World Cup match against Spain.

A key role under Mourinho

Despite all of this, Mourinho appears ready to build around the Uruguayan. The Portuguese coach plans to give Valverde a central role in a Real Madrid side expected to focus more heavily on counter-attacking football and exploiting space.

There is even a silver lining to Uruguay’s early World Cup exit. With both Valverde and Tchouameni eliminated, the pair will be able to return for pre-season almost from the very start, giving Mourinho the chance to integrate them into his plans early.

For Valverde, this summer will be very crucial as he looks to earn back the trust of Real Madrid fans and, most importantly, start on a good note with new manager Mourinho, who has full confidence in the 27-year-old.