Jose Mourinho arrival opens door for Real Madrid to pursue Barcelona top target
Jose Mourinho arrival opens door for Real Madrid to pursue Barcelona top target Real Madrid have started to draw up plans for this summer’s transfer window, which will be the first in 13 years with Jose Mourinho in charge. The Portuguese will have the final say when it comes to targets, and already, he has a few names in mind that he wants added to the squad he will inherit from Alvaro Arbeloa. Centre-back and midfield are two areas where Real Madrid are keen to add extra quality, given they have struggled there in the last couple of seasons.
In regards to the latter, Mourinho has asked the club to sign Manchester City and Spain star Rodri Hernandez , and he’s also put forward a name for the former position. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via MD ), Mourinho is keen for Real Madrid to sign Alessandro Bastoni. The Inter defender has been Barcelona’s top defensive target for several months, but with a move to Catalonia now in doubt , Los Blancos could be prepared to strike instead.
Bastoni had been very keen to join Barcelona this summer, but given the lack of movement towards a deal with Inter over the last few weeks, he is resigned to not getting his dream move. However, he could still end up in Spain, and the possibility of moving to Real Madrid is one that he would surely welcome. Is Bastoni the right fit for Real Madrid?
A left-sided centre-back signing makes a lot of sense for Real Madrid. Dean Huijsen is the only natural option they’ll have in the first team squad for next season due to the now-confirmed exit of David Alaba in the summer – and even then, he’s considered to be equally as natural on the right. Taking this into account, Bastoni would be a top addition.
He’d fit well into the centre-back options that Mourinho will have at his disposal next season, but for now, it remains to be seen whether Real Madrid do make a move towards signing him.