Jose Mourinho is ready to let go of TEN Real Madrid players, including a surprising one.
Reports say Jose Mourinho is ready to let 10 Real Madrid players leave once he becomes the manager, including a surprising name. Mourinho has reportedly talked with club president Florentino Perez about taking over next season. Current coach Alvaro Arbeloa said on Friday he will step down after this season, clearing the way for Mourinho’s return to the Bernabeu.
Spanish news outlet Esdario shared earlier this month that Mourinho set strict rules for becoming the next Real Madrid manager, including no player interference in team selection. This has been an issue under Arbeloa, with some players unhappy about their playing time since he replaced Xabi Alonso in January.
Real Madrid already confirmed that defenders Dani Carvajal and David Alaba will leave when their contracts end next month. Up to eight more players might also go. Portuguese site Record says Mourinho would allow goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, full-backs Fran Garcia and Ferland Mendy, midfielder Dani Ceballos, and striker Gonzalo Garcia to leave if he takes charge. Most of these players have been on the bench or, like Mendy, struggling with injuries this season.
Mendy is still recovering from a serious leg injury and won’t be ready for pre-season. Midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, who played 43 games this season in different roles, is also reportedly available. The 23-year-old wasn’t picked for France’s World Cup squad and has been linked with moves to Manchester United and Liverpool. TEAMtalk says Liverpool has already talked to Real about signing him.
A surprising name on the possible list is Federico Valverde. He hasn’t played since a serious head injury during a training fight with teammate Aurelien Tchouameni. Valverde insists no punches were thrown and that he hurt himself by slipping and hitting his head. Both players were fined €500,000 by Real after a review.
Valverde rested for 10–14 days and could return for Real’s last game against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday. But the biggest shock is star winger Vinicius Junior. The 25-year-old Brazilian scored 22 goals and made 10 assists this season after a slow start under Alonso. The rumors about selling him come not from his performance but from worries about contract talks. Reports say Vinicius turned down Real’s contract offers last season, and his current deal ends next summer.
While his contract includes a huge €1 billion release clause for buying clubs, this only applies inside Spain. As things stand, he could negotiate a deal with clubs outside Spain in January and leave Real Madrid for free.