At Benfica, Mourinho already had Real Madrid signings in mind | OneFootball

At a time when José Mourinho already has a date to return to Real Madrid, even though there is still no official confirmation of a possible departure from Benfica, rumors are already beginning to emerge about the players who could follow the Special One on a new adventure in Spain.

According to the English newspaper 'The Sun', Rodri is seen as one of Mourinho’s main targets to strengthen Madrid’s midfield in the next summer transfer window. The Spanish international, winner of the 2024 Ballon d'Or, is out of contract with Manchester City in a year, and talks over a renewal are currently said to be at a standstill.

The same publication also recalls Rodri’s recent comments, in which the midfielder admitted he would find it hard to turn down the chance to represent "the best clubs in the world," including "Los Blancos," despite his past ties to Atlético Madrid, Real’s eternal rival.

This season, Rodri has scored two goals in 32 appearances for Manchester City. The defensive midfielder remains one of the key figures in Pep Guardiola’s side, which is still fighting to win the Premier League, after already lifting the League Cup and the FA Cup.

It should be noted that, with José Mourinho all but confirmed at Real Madrid, the narrative the Special One had presented in Amoreira, where he claimed there was a 99% chance he would stay at Benfica, falls apart. The coach is expected to sign a contract running until 2028, with an additional one-year option with Los Blancos.

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