Real Madrid News
Real Madrid considered move for Premier League defender before signing Denzel Dumfries
According to AS, Tottenham Hotspur star Pedro Porro has long been admired inside Real Madrid, but despite years of scouting and internal discussions, the club never launched a serious attempt to sign the Spanish right-back.
The defender’s name was considered again this summer, but the club opted to go in a different direction. Now, following his outstanding performances at the World Cup, some figures within the club believe the opportunity may have slipped away.
A long-term target
Real Madrid’s interest in Porro dates back nearly a decade. Back in 2016 and again in 2017, when the defender left Rayo Vallecano as a youth player, the club’s academy recruitment department tried to bring him to Valdebebas.
But Girona ultimately won the race by offering a clearer pathway toward first-team football. From that point onward, Porro remained firmly on the Merengues’ scouting radar.
His development at Sporting CP, followed by his emergence as one of Tottenham Hotspur’s standout performers, only strengthened the belief among some within the club that he could eventually succeed Dani Carvajal.
Considered, but never prioritised
Although Porro’s name was discussed repeatedly during squad planning meetings, even this summer, he never became Real Madrid’s primary target.
According to the report, head coach Jose Mourinho is also a fan of the player’s qualities.
However, the club’s long-term plan centered on Trent Alexander-Arnold, while financial considerations also played a significant role.
Signing Porro this summer from Tottenham would likely have required an investment exceeding €50 million, a fee Los Merengues ultimately felt was difficult to justify given their priorities elsewhere.
Instead, the club opted for Denzel Dumfries, who was available for around €20 million. While older than Porro, the Dutch international represented a considerably cheaper solution.
World Cup raises his stock
Porro’s performances at the World Cup have elevated him into the conversation as one of the world’s best full-backs.
His attacking influence and defensive consistency further increased his market value, reinforcing the belief among some at the club that he would have been an ideal addition.
As interest from several clubs intensified, Tottenham acted decisively. The North London side extended Porro’s contract until 2031, rewarding him with one of the highest salaries in the squad.
An opportunity that never materialised
Those close to Porro believe the lifelong Real Madrid admirer would have seriously considered a move had Real Madrid submitted a formal offer. However, that offer never came.
The club monitored his progress, debated his suitability and evaluated the financial implications, but never progressed beyond internal discussions.
For now, Porro remains happy in London, while Real Madrid continue with their current options at right-back. Even so, at 26 years old, the possibility of their paths crossing in the future cannot be completely ruled out.
After a month into the new season, Aurelien Tchouameni is finally back in action for Real Madrid.
The Frenchman made his first appearance of the season for the Merengues last night against Inter Milan after recovering from the muscular injury that delayed his campaign.
His return to fitness had raised questions over where he would fit into Mourinho’s plans.
Tchouameni has been a regular in Real Madrid’s midfield for several seasons under different managers, but the end of last season was far less straightforward.
His confrontation with Federico Valverde, combined with speculation over his future at the club, created uncertainty about his position. His lack of a proper pre-season also appeared to put him behind other midfield options.
Bernardo Silva had established himself as an important figure, while Eduardo Camavinga was also ahead of Tchouameni in terms of match fitness.
With Real Madrid looking for greater creativity in midfield, there were questions over whether the Frenchman would still be a first-choice player.
Key for Mourinho
According to AS (h/t Bernabeu Digital), however, Mourinho has no such doubts. Tchouameni remains a key player for the Portuguese coach and is expected to be a starter.
Mourinho sees the French international as a midfielder without a direct replacement in the squad.
For Jose, Tchouameni provides something that none of the other midfielders in the squad do – a more defensive and positional presence, combining his tactical discipline with considerable physical strength.
His ability to shield the defence and provide balance could be particularly important for a Real Madrid side that want to defend aggressively and attack quickly in transition.
For that reason, his absence at the start of the campaign has not changed the manager’s view of his importance.
Mourinho faces a midfield selection problem
The challenge for Mourinho now is finding a way to fit all the pieces together.
If Tchouameni is guaranteed a starting position and Valverde is considered untouchable as captain, the obvious consequence is that Bernardo could find himself starting from the bench.
The summer arrival had been given an important role in helping Real Madrid control and distribute possession from deeper positions.
However, with Tchouameni and Valverde both occupying midfield places, Mourinho cannot accommodate everyone in the same lineup.
How the Portuguese coach manages that competition will be interesting to see in the coming weeks.
