Real Madrid News
Real Madrid star could lose ‘untouchable’ status under Mourinho amid midfield competition
Real Madrid kicked off their 2026-27 La Liga season with a late victory over Espanyol, with Jude Bellingham and Carlos Espi on the scoresheet.
All eyes were on Jose Mourinho and how he would set the team up against the Catalan club, to gain an early insight into what his preferred XI looks like.
One interesting selection choice was always going to be the midfield, and Bernardo Silva partnered Federico Valverde in that position last night.
While last night was a fairly straightforward choice with Aurelien Tchouameni recovering from an injury, this could be one of Mourinho’s biggest headaches going forward.
Now, according to Cadena SER, the Frenchman may no longer be guaranteed a place in Real Madrid’s midfield under Jose Mourinho, with the competition for roles intensifying following the arrival of Bernardo.
Tchouameni no longer an automatic starter?
Journalist Tomas Roncero believes Tchouameni could be one of the first players affected by Mourinho’s search for the right midfield formula after the 2-1 victory over Espanyol.
“I think Tchouameni is not going to be as untouchable as he was,” Roncero said.
He argued that the situation has changed because Madrid now possess considerably more competition in that area of the squad.
Roncero believes Bernardo could play a major role in Mourinho’s midfield, particularly when Madrid face opponents who defend deep at the Bernabeu.
He described the Portuguese veteran as Madrid’s most creative option for directing possession from deeper areas.
That has become especially important after Madrid missed out on Rodri, who ultimately joined Barcelona.
“With Rodri not arriving, the only player who can really play that positional football and organise the game is Bernardo Silva,” Roncero explained.
Having spent years at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, it is the least Madrid can ask for from Silva.
Mourinho has a genuine midfield puzzle
Jose Mourinho has also suggested the possibility of Arda Guler developing into a No. 6 in the coming years, but that is unlikely to be a solution in the short term.
The situation, however, does not necessarily mean that Tchouameni will become a peripheral figure at the club.
His defensive qualities remain different from those offered by Bernardo, while Mourinho will require different midfield combinations depending on the opponent.
However, the options are plenty.
Valverde provides intensity and running power, Bernardo offers control and creativity, while Tchouameni and Camavinga add bite to the position.
Tchouameni must now convince Mourinho that his defensive security outweighs what he does not offer creatively.
Ultimately, having too much of something is a better headache than having too little. The onus is now on Mourinho to solve the midfield puzzle.
According to TeamTalk, Real Madrid have joined the growing list of clubs monitoring Gabriel Rajkovic, a 15-year-old winger whose rapid development at Valerenga has already attracted attention from several of Europe’s leading sides.
The Merengues are known for keeping an eye on exciting young talent across the globe and it seems that Rajkovic’s exploits in Norway, with the first team, have alerted them.
Real Madrid keeping tabs on Rajkovic
As per the report, Real Madrid are among a host of clubs closely following the progress of the young forward.
Rajkovic holds both Norwegian and Serbian nationality and has emerged as one of the most promising young players in Norway.
His development has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund also understood to be monitoring him.
However, at this point, it is Arsenal and Chelsea, who are understood to be leading the charge for Rajkovic, having compiled a detailed dossier on the teenage prodigy after extensive scouting.
On top of that, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all watched Rajkovic in recent weeks.
Real Madrid could therefore face significant competition if they decide to step up their interest in a player who has already made an impression at senior level.
Making an impact at just 15
Rajkovic was handed a promotion to the Valerenga first-team squad in January earlier this year, when he was only 14 years old.
Following that, he signed a new contract with the club in March, when he turned 15, committing to the club until 2028.
Despite being only 15, the winger has already begun gaining experience in first-team football. In all, he has made 14 senior appearances for the Norwegian outfit, scoring three and assisting one goal.
Rajkovic has also represented Norway Under-16s, making two appearances and scoring once despite being younger than many of his teammates.
Those numbers become more impressive when his age and stage of development are taken into account.
Real Madrid have built a reputation for identifying young talent well before players reach their peak, and Rajkovic has now emerged as another name on their scouting radar.
But given the number of clubs in the race, signing the teenage wonderkid will not be easy.
