Mourinho plans a 4-4-2 for Real Madrid and demands four more signings

According to Spanish media reports, Mourinho is planning a squad overhaul upon his return to Real Madrid.

Mourinho plans to adopt a 4-4-2 formation in his second stint as Real Madrid coach. Compared with 15 years ago, modern football demands greater physicality. The Portuguese coach believes that, to win the Champions League, only Vinicius and Mbappé can play up front together. They will need four midfielders and four physically strong defenders behind them to execute Mourinho's trademark pressing tactics. Real Madrid will only revert to a three-man attack against significantly weaker opponents; in important matches, Mourinho will deploy two core forwards and have Bellingham drop back 10 meters.

The key issue is that Mourinho wants to reshape the defense and midfield with several new faces in order to establish a 4-4-2 system. This would be a starting lineup completely different from what Real Madrid fans have become accustomed to in recent years. Mourinho has already submitted several transfer requests in the hope of completely transforming the team. Whether the club has sufficient funds and can facilitate the necessary departures to drive this change is another matter, but in terms of his demands, he has provided a comprehensive list.

Real Madrid have already signed Konaté and Dumfries, while also welcoming back Endrick and re-signing Nico Paz for 9 million euros. Beyond these four additions, Mourinho has also requested another high-level center-back and a potential starting left-back, as well as two midfielders. The objective behind signing another center-back and a high-level left-footed full-back is more ambitious: to rebuild the entire defense.

With Dumfries at right-back and Konaté at center-back, Mourinho still wants another center-back. He has already held discussions with Bastoni, who is valued at approximately 75 million euros and also wants to become a Real Madrid player, but Real Madrid still need to negotiate with Inter. As the new head of Real Madrid's first team, Mourinho also views his compatriot Ruben Dias as a second-choice option. Man City are asking for 65 million euros. Konaté joined on a free transfer, with Real Madrid paying a 20 million Euro signing bonus, giving the club more room to maneuver in their pursuit of a second center-back.

Croatian defender Gvardiol is also on the list and is considered a third option, but he has only just recovered from a serious injury, has other offers, and Man City has offered him a contract extension, so he remains merely an additional option. Mourinho's preferred left-back is a high-profile target: 24-year-old Calafiori, who won the Premier League with Arsenal. If Real Madrid can sign the Italian defender, Mourinho would be very satisfied. Calafiori would arrive as a starter, ahead of Carreras, and his estimated value is 50 million euros. The question is whether a team that has just won the Premier League and reached the Champions League final would be willing to let the player leave.

The Real Madrid sporting director has also requested two midfielders: one defensive and one creative. This is the most difficult operation. Rodri is listed as a candidate but is not currently part of the plan. Enzo Fernández is the player Real Madrid are hoping to sign. The player himself is open to joining Real Madrid on a five-year contract, and there are no major disagreements over salary. The difficulty lies in finalizing the transfer with Chelsea. Enzo Fernández has clearly expressed his desire to join Real Madrid, but the problem is that the London club's asking price is 138 million euros.

Real Madrid may need to include a player in the final agreement, possibly Camavinga, Fran García, or Brahim Díaz. The Moroccan player has stated that he has no intention of leaving Real Madrid. Portuguese midfielder João Neves is also among the candidates on Mourinho's list. The 21-year-old is an important supporting figure alongside Vitinha at PSG. Neves is comfortable in Paris, but if Mourinho calls him, he would seriously consider it. Another question is whether Enrique would approve his departure. The problem is that Paris is not short of money and has no need to sell.

Only Vitinha, a clear but almost unattainable target, could alter the positions of all parties. The previous names mentioned were already completed signings and Mourinho's requests: Konaté and Dumfries have signed, Endrick has returned, and Nico Paz is also back after Real Madrid paid Como 9 million euros. The arrival of such a group of players means Real Madrid must arrange several departures. Among them, the exits of Alaba and Carvajal are confirmed; others will leave through transfers, while there will also be loans and transfers with buy-back options.

The clear-out list starts with Ceballos. He has one year left on his contract, and Real Madrid are asking for 10 million euros. Michel has told him he should go to Ajax. Camavinga, Fran García, and Raúl Asensio could all be sold. The Frenchman has a strong market in England and could also be included in an exchange deal. Fran García was close to moving to the Premier League in January, but Real Madrid blocked the transfer. Now, with the club trying to sign another left-back, it may be time for him to leave. With Konaté joining, and Real Madrid continuing to look for another high-level center-back, Raúl Asensio has also entered the transfer market.

In addition to other departures that may arise for market reasons or as part of exchange deals, Gonzalo and Mastantuno will certainly leave the first team, with the possibility of a return still retained. The Argentinian will be loaned out. The striker could either be loaned for a year or transferred with a buy-back option, a model previously used for Nico Paz, Víctor Muñoz, Brahim, and many other academy players. As for Víctor Muñoz, the current initial idea is to extend his loan at Osasuna for another year, although offers from abroad could change that stance.