Sofia Quijada
Jose Mourinho is expected to return to the Real Madrid dugout this summer, with an agreement on his comeback — 13 years after his first spell — anticipated within weeks. Before he has even officially taken charge, he is already shaping the club’s transfer priorities.
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Real Madrid have long identified a new centre-back and a central midfielder as their primary summer targets. One name consistently linked to the midfield role is Rodri Hernandez, who has been tracked by Bernabeu officials for some time. According to Football Insider (via CaughtOffside), Mourinho has communicated directly to club officials that signing the Manchester City midfielder this summer is a priority for him.
Leadership is a quality the Real Madrid dressing room has lacked since Toni Kroos and Luka Modric departed in 2024 and 2025 respectively. Rodri carries that authority naturally. With the Spain international yet to commit to a new contract at Manchester City, a cut-price deal remains a genuine possibility.
Real Madrid Had Written Off the Move — Until Now
As recently as April, reports indicated that Real Madrid had dropped Rodri from their serious transfer considerations, even with his availability at a reduced cost on the horizon. Mourinho‘s intervention has changed the calculus. With the incoming manager personally backing the pursuit, the chances of a deal materialising have increased considerably.
How the situation develops remains to be seen, but Mourinho is clearly determined to push it forward. Follow TipsGG for the latest updates on Real Madrid‘s summer transfer window.
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