Mourinho warns Real Madrid dressing room nobody is untouchable anymore – report | OneFootball

According to reports from AS (h/t Madrid Xtra), incoming Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has informed club president Florentino Perez that reputation alone will no longer guarantee playing time for any player under his command.

The report claims Mourinho has warned the club hierarchy that no player should be considered untouchable regardless of status, popularity or transfer value. 

Instead, the Portuguese manager wants a squad built entirely around effort, discipline and competitive mentality.

Mourinho has already informed Perez that if players fail to match the required intensity physically and mentally, they simply will not feature in his team.

In simple terms, Mourinho’s message is that players must run, fight and fully commit on the pitch or they will not play.

Agreement soon

Mourinho is set to become the Real Madrid manager. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

It must be noted that the agreement between Real Madrid and Mourinho is believed to be practically complete already. 

Both sides have settled the major details involving salary and contract length, with only the official signature and presentation still pending.

However, Mourinho’s demands appear to go beyond transfer targets or tactical ideas.

He wants total authority to rebuild the dressing room culture after what many inside the club consider one of the most chaotic seasons in recent memory.

Mourinho targets dressing room ego

Mourinho has made himself very clear to Perez. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

One of the learnings from Real Madrid’s 2025/26 season has been the growing influence of individual egos inside the squad.

One example reportedly involved Xabi Alonso and Vinicius Jr. earlier in the season.

Alonso’s decision to substitute the Brazilian during the first El Clasico created significant tension, with the relationship between player and coach deteriorating afterwards.

The situation surrounding Kylian Mbappe also generated major discussion after the French superstar publicly expressed frustration about his role under Alvaro Arbeloa.

Those moments convinced several figures within Real Madrid that the squad had become too difficult to manage through soft leadership alone and that is precisely why Mourinho’s arrival is being viewed as such an important reset.