Still Benfica boss, Mourinho already wants total control at Real Madrid | OneFootball

José Mourinho continues to be linked with the Real Madrid managerial job and, in Spain, details are already beginning to emerge about what the Special One wants in order to accept the challenge. According to the Spanish press, the current Benfica manager wants to have "total control" over the first team, demanding autonomy in decisions related to the dressing room, structure, and sporting planning.

According to the newspaper 'Marca', Mourinho also wants guarantees when it comes to the transfer market. The Portuguese coach believes the current merengues squad has some imbalances and wants to have a decisive say in both arrivals and departures. The same source adds that the recent clashes between Benfica and Real Madrid allowed the manager to closely analyse several weaknesses in the Spanish side.

José Mourinho’s possible second spell at the Santiago Bernabéu comes with the memory he left during his first stint in charge of los blancos. Although he did not win the Champions League, he was seen as a key figure in the club’s competitive transformation, helping to build a winning mentality that would eventually pave the way for one of the most dominant periods in Real Madrid’s recent history.

During that period, the Special One also stood out for the way he approached the market. Luka Modrić was one of the most emblematic cases. In 2012, Mourinho personally insisted on signing the Croatian midfielder from Tottenham, even amid doubts and criticism in Spain. "I only ask Madridistas to give him time and be patient. He is so good that the Santiago Bernabéu will fall in love with his class," he said at the time.

Years later, after Modrić had established himself as a world-class reference, the coach once again recalled the bet he made on the Croatian international. "Luka Modrić is the beauty of football. He is my pride because I brought him to Real Madrid when nobody believed he was a player for this club and, after so many years, he is still there," he said.

Another example highlighted in Spain was Ángel Di María. The former Benfica winger was signed from the Lisbon club in 2010, quickly becoming an important piece in José Mourinho’s system. The Argentine would go on to play a decisive role in winning the 2014 Champions League before leaving for Manchester United for 75 million euros.

In addition to Modrić and Di María, the Special One also had direct influence on the arrivals of Sami Khedira and Mesut Özil after the 2010 World Cup. The two German midfielders went on to play important roles in Real Madrid’s competitive growth, with Özil standing out in particular for the connection he built with Cristiano Ronaldo, racking up dozens of assists in just three seasons.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.