Real Madrid launches new era under José Mourinho with fresh signings and World Cup strategy

José Mourinho has signed a three‑year contract to return to Real Madrid, his second spell after leading the club from 2010‑2013. He arrived in June 2026, describing the club’s history as “unrivalled” and stating that his first priority is to listen before speaking.

The Spanish side has already completed several high‑profile acquisitions: right‑back Marc Cucurella from Chelsea, centre‑back Ibrahim Konaté from Liverpool, midfielders Bernardo Silva from Manchester City and Denzel Dumfries from Inter. Mourinho has identified two further priorities – a central defender capable of directing play, and a midfield “Luka Modrić‑type” anchor – with names such as Enzo Fernández, Mateus Fernandes, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Nicola Bastoni cited as targets. Financially, the club has set a €50 million sell‑on price for Eduardo Camavinga and €100 million for Federico Valverde, while considering the departures of Raul Asencio, Fran García and Dani Ceballos.

In a podcast interview Mourinho revealed an unusual pre‑World Cup wish: he would like Real’s players who are at the 2026 tournament to lose early and return to training, saying “I want my players to be eliminated quickly so they can join us for pre‑season.” He also stressed that the club will not off‑load its top talent, insisting that the biggest players will stay and that any sales will fund further reinforcements. Pre‑season preparations are scheduled to begin on 13 July, after the World Cup concludes.