José Mourinho is facing one of his first major dilemmas on the Real Madrid bench: the lack of a creative midfielder capable of orchestrating play from deep. After failing to sign Rodri, the Portuguese coach appears to be preparing an alternative solution from within the squad.
According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Rodri had been Mourinho’s ideal choice and, for a period, appeared close to moving to the Santiago Bernabéu.
However, the Madrid midfielder rejected Real Madrid’s offer and chose Barcelona instead, leaving Mourinho without the player he considered essential to building the team’s style of play.
Real Madrid Closes the Door on Another Transfer
Following the failure of the Rodri operation, Real Madrid officials have reportedly made it clear to Mourinho that there will be no further reinforcements unless a player first leaves the squad.
The club believes the current midfield has enough quality and alternatives, meaning the coach has been asked to find solutions with the players already at his disposal. For this reason, during the pre-season, Mourinho has experimented with a 4-2-3-1 formation, featuring two deeper midfielders.
One of those two positions appears to be reserved for Aurélien Tchouaméni or Eduardo Camavinga, although the Portuguese coach also tested Federico Valverde as a defensive midfielder in the friendly against Schalke.
Bernardo Silva, the Main Candidate to Organize Play
The biggest dilemma concerns the second midfield position.
Mourinho is looking for a player capable of receiving the ball from the defense, controlling the tempo, and initiating attacking moves.
Arda Güler has been tested in this role, but Manchester City signing Bernardo Silva is now being viewed as the strongest candidate.
The Portuguese midfielder demonstrated during the pre-season matches that he is capable of connecting the defensive and attacking lines, while also contributing defensively when the team is without the ball.
These qualities make him the player whose profile most closely resembles what Mourinho was looking for in Rodri.
Mourinho Is Taking Advantage of Silva’s Versatility
Bernardo Silva’s role during pre-season has not been limited to the center of midfield.
He has also played on the right wing and as an attacking playmaker behind the striker, demonstrating the tactical versatility that Mourinho particularly values.
This ability to operate in several positions could make Silva one of the most important players in Real Madrid’s new system.
Unless there is a surprise in the final days of the transfer window, Bernardo Silva is expected to be Mourinho’s solution for building play from deep, taking on a role that was initially intended for Rodri.
Real Madrid’s opening league match against Espanyol could provide the first clear indication of how Mourinho plans to structure the midfield for the new season.
