Camavinga forces rethink as Mourinho weighs final Real Madrid moves

Real Madrid’s plans for the final days of the transfer window have been complicated by Eduardo Camavinga’s return to form, with manager Jose Mourinho now determined to give the France midfielder another opportunity rather than sanction his departure.

The club have undergone a major overhaul this summer, signing six players while allowing a large number of others to leave, including several graduates of their renowned academy. The changes form part of an ambitious rebuilding project at the Bernabeu.

Diomande, Cucurella, Espai, Denzel Dumfries and Ibrahima Konate have all joined, while the headline arrival was Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva.

However, Real Madrid were unable to complete a deal for Rodri, who had been viewed as a central figure in the renewal of the squad. His absence has left the project feeling incomplete at Valdebebas.

Mourinho wants a smaller squad

Mourinho’s comments after the match against Ferencvaros suggested that Real Madrid are preparing to bring their transfer activity to an end. The Portuguese manager said he intends to work with a “short” squad containing only 20 senior players.

He also highlighted one of the team’s remaining shortcomings when discussing Bernardo Silva’s role.

“I noticed during the match that he lacked the required physical strength, which led me to move him to the playmaker position, while I brought on the youngster Cestero to add stability in that position,” Mourinho said.

Real Madrid still want reinforcements in two important areas: defensive midfield and left-footed central defence. The need for a centre-back was underlined by the goal conceded against Ferencvaros, which followed a misunderstanding between Dean Huijsen and Antonio Rudiger.

Any attempt to address either position, though, depends on departures.

In defence, Raul Asencio is considered the most likely player to leave. His injury has delayed a move that would have created room for a more experienced centre-back. Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni is among the leading options and is Mourinho’s preferred choice.

Camavinga earns another chance

The situation in midfield is more complicated. Camavinga had appeared to be the weakest link in the squad, but his impressive performance in Hungary has restored confidence in a player who faced heavy criticism last season.

Much of that criticism followed his disastrous red card against Bayern Munich, an incident that contributed to Real Madrid’s elimination.

Mourinho is nevertheless insisting on giving the Frenchman another chance. Camavinga does not want to leave, while Real Madrid have been unable to find a buyer willing to meet their asking price of more than 60m euros.

Several other decisions also remain unresolved as the window approaches its conclusion.

Tiago Pitarch’s future has become uncertain after he suffered an early injury soon after returning to training. Fulham have shown interest in the player, but Real Madrid’s current plan is for him to stay.

Brazilian prospect Endrick, meanwhile, is unwilling to accept a second loan move. Siria, who joined from Sevilla’s reserve team in January, has continued to impress during pre-season and is emerging as a promising option within Mourinho’s plans.

Real Madrid are expected to proceed cautiously in the closing days of the window. The club will assess any opportunities that arise while following the same careful approach adopted at the start of the season, seeking to complete the rebuild without putting either their financial stability or their sporting balance at risk.