Mourinho holds talks with Manchester City defensive mainstay over Real Madrid move | OneFootball

Jose Mourinho is pushing for new signings at Real Madrid and has shown no hesitation in replacing existing players with profiles of his choice.

In just a few weeks, the likes of Fran Garcia, Alvaro Carreras, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Franco Mastantuono and the centre-backs have seen significant pressure mounted on them through new signings.

Yet, the manager is pushing for further recruitments as he looks to wipe the slate clean and bring up a more defensively structured Real Madrid next season. A second centre-back signing, on that front, has been rumoured.

In contact with a Manchester City star

As brought to light by Ben Fernandes Santos in a recent report, Jose Mourinho has now gone on and opened contacts with Manchester City centre-back Ruben Dias.

Mourinho wants Ruben Dias. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)

The manager really likes the Portuguese star’s profile and has had conversations with the 29-year-old over the role he will have in his team. Needless to say,  Mourinho has personally laid the foundation for a potential transfer.

The player is now firmly in Real Madrid’s orbit and is valued at around €55 million as matters stand. His deal with Manchester City runs until 2029, and it thus remains to be seen how negotiations with Manchester City progress.

What appears clear at this point in the transfer window, however, is that Florentino Perez and Co. have given Mourinho and his team complete control of all transfers at the club. In that sense, the manager’s preferred target will likely take over as the club’s priority as well.

A special connection to see it through

While convincing Dias is vital to Real Madrid’s dream of landing the defender, Real Madrid have a second advantage in the form of their relationship with his agent.

Will Ruben Dias leave Manchester for Madrid? (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)

Dias is represented by Jorge Mendes, the Portuguese super-agent who shares a special bond with the new manager Jose Mourinho.

The managerial appointment, on that front, has gone a long way in improving Real Madrid’s relationship with Mendes and thus their chances of landing his clients.

Dias is just one of the several players the superagent manages. Also in the mix are the likes of Mateus Fernandes and Matheus Nunes, both of whom have been linked to Real Madrid in different capacities.

Last season, Dias started 24 league games for Manchester City and oversaw 11 clean sheets for his side. He averaged over nine defensive actions and close to three recoveries per game.