Real Madrid News
Mourinho identifies 29-year-old Man City star as his ideal defensive signing for Real Madrid
Real Madrid’s summer rebuild has already delivered several high-profile additions, but Jose Mourinho is not finished shaping his squad.
After strengthening the defence with the arrivals of Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries, while also adding Bernardo Silva to bolster the attacking department, attention has now shifted towards the next phase of the club’s transfer strategy.
On the note, the centre-back position is remains high on Mourinho’s priority list and according to reports in Spain, there is one name that stands above all others.
According to AS, Manchester City defender Ruben Dias has emerged as Mourinho’s preferred centre-back target as Real Madrid continue planning for the future at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Ruben Dias is Mourinho’s top defensive target
Real Madrid’s interest in Dias is not entirely new, as the club had already explored the possibility of signing the Portuguese international before eventually securing Konate, with discussions suggesting there was at least some belief that a deal could be possible.
However, the situation has changed significantly. Despite Mourinho’s admiration for the defender, Manchester City are unwilling to entertain any offers for one of the pillars of their squad.
It is said that the Premier League side views Dias as an untouchable figure in their defensive structure, making negotiations incredibly difficult.
However, that has not stopped Real Madrid from monitoring developments, but the club is fully aware that convincing Manchester City will be the biggest hurdle.
Real Madrid hold an advantage
If there is one element that could encourage Real Madrid, it lies in the relationships surrounding the player.
Dias is represented by Jorge Mendes, one of football’s most influential agents and a figure who has maintained a close relationship with Mourinho and Real Madrid.
That connection could potentially help Real Madrid establish a pathway towards the player if circumstances were ever to change.
Moreover, sources suggest that convincing Dias himself would not necessarily be the most difficult part of the operation.
The prestige of Real Madrid, the opportunity to play at the Santiago Bernabéu and the prospect of working under Mourinho could all prove attractive factors.
The real obstacle remains Manchester City, who currently have no interest in weakening their squad by losing one of Europe’s elite defenders.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid defender takes major step towards comeback; set for return after international break
Real Madrid are finally beginning to see a clear path back for Eder Militao, with the defender now in the final phase of his rehabilitation and increasingly expected to return after the next international break.
Militao has been sidelined since suffering a tear to the proximal biceps femoris tendon in his left leg during the meeting with Alaves last April.
The injury required surgery, but his recovery has now reached a stage where his return can be discussed in more concrete terms.
Militao steps up rehabilitation at Valdebebas
While Real Madrid completed their preparations for Tuesday night’s trip to Elche, Militao was working separately from the main group at the Valdebebas Training Centre.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the Brazilian defender carried out specific exercises with the club’s rehabilitation staff and physiotherapists on pitches 1 and 2.
The work represents another step in a recovery process that has kept him away from competitive action for several months.
Mind you, Militao will not be involved against Elche, but the latest signs are considerably more encouraging for what comes next.
Return now expected after international break
The timeline surrounding Militao’s comeback is finally becoming clearer. Provided his recovery continues at its current pace, Real Madrid expect the centre-back to be available to Mourinho once the international break is over.
That break is scheduled to take place from the end of September into the first week of October, meaning Militao could be back by mid-October at the latest.
For a defender who has endured another significant spell on the sidelines, simply having a defined target gives an important moment in his rehabilitation.
Real Madrid still missing players
Militao’s progress is particularly welcome because Real Madrid continue to deal with several absences in the squad.
On that note, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy remain on the injury list and are not expected to return as quickly as Militao.
Both these players are therefore ruled out of the Elche fixture, leaving Mourinho without several established options.
Beyond Elche, though, Militao’s return offers Real Madrid something far more valuable: another experienced defensive option for the demanding weeks ahead.
After surgery and months of rehabilitation, the Brazilian is now entering the final stretch, and if there are no setbacks, Real Madrid could have their defender back in the squad around the middle of October.
