Jose Mourinho is set to make his second appointment to Real Madrid next week and the Portuguese has already drawn up a list of players he would like to work with.
Riccardo Calafioli inspired by Max Dauman’s goal (Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Manager Jose Mourinho wants to bring Ricardo Calafioli to Real Madrid.
Real Madrid manager Mourinho has targeted the Arsenal defender as part of his rebuild at the Bernabéu. This is a bold move, especially since Mourinho sold Calafioli when he was manager of Roma and now believes he would be a great signing for Real Madrid.
Mourinho has already agreed deals with Inter Milan defender Denzel Dumfries and Ibrahima Konate, who is set to leave Liverpool. Konate is set to join on a free transfer, while Dumfries are on a £20m buyout and Mourinho is now hoping to sign another defender.
Calafioli was at Roma with Mourinho when the Italian club sold him to Basel for just £1.5m in 2022, before moving to Arsenal two years later in a £42m deal.
Italian international Calafioli is hugely popular in Arsenal’s squad and has just celebrated winning the club’s first title in 22 years.
However, Calafioli is also struggling with injury and Real Madrid may use this period to see if they can test Arsenal’s resolve. The stylish defender, who can play at left-back or centre-half, is a regular on the Italian national team, but he missed out on the World Cup.
Arsenal have plenty of talent in that department, including Piero Hincapie and Miles Lewis-Skelly, and it was Calafioli who unusually played in the Champions League final despite being injured.
Mourinho’s second stint at Real is yet to be officially confirmed, but he has penned a three-year deal to return to the Spanish giants.
Jose Mourinho appointed as Real Madrid manager for the second time (Image: Getty Images)
It is expected that an official announcement will be made following the results of this weekend’s election to determine the Real Madrid president. Incumbent Florentino Pérez is in the unusual position of participating in a contested election, running against Enrique Riquelme.
Voters will make their decision on Sunday (June 7), but Perez has teased that he will announce the club’s first summer transfer on Thursday.
“This Thursday we will announce our first big contract for next season,” Pérez told El Espanyol. “Everyone knows my sports project is to have the best players and keep winning.”
Regarding Mourinho’s return, he added: “We will announce soon who the new manager of Real Madrid will be. We will have more names by Sunday. Don’t worry.”
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