Mourinho surprises everyone: an unexpected solution to make up for the Rodri blow at Real Madrid
The Portuguese coach is banking on a surprise card in midfield
Real Madrid are still hunting for the right way to strengthen their midfield after their deal for Spain's Rodri fell through. The midfielder now looks set to join rivals Barcelona, a blow that has forced the Spanish giants to rethink their transfer plans.
José Mourinho had made the Manchester City star one of his priority targets, seeing him as the piece that could restore the balance Real Madrid's midfield has lacked since Germany's Toni Kroos left. Rodri's preference for Barcelona, though, has nudged the Portuguese coach towards options already inside his squad.
Real Madrid boast a fine set of midfielders in Aurélien Tchouaméni, Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham and Bernardo Silva. Even so, Mourinho is still chasing the ideal combination, having leaned on a 4-2-3-1 formation throughout pre-season.
Mourinho considers changing Alexander-Arnold's position
Spanish radio station "Cadena SER" report, in a story carried by the newspaper "Sport", that Mourinho is weighing up a surprising idea. He wants to use England's Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield rather than keeping him tied to his usual role on the right flank.
Alexander-Arnold arrived from Liverpool in the summer of 2025 on a free transfer, signed primarily to fill the right-back slot. His technical quality and his passing and playmaking have long made him a candidate for a more advanced, central role.
Mourinho appears to have already trialled the idea in pre-season, deploying him further inside to tap into his ability to build attacks and create play from deep.
Dumfries opens the door to the experiment
Rodri's collapse could push this option higher up the agenda, and the arrival of the Netherlands' Denzel Dumfries to cover the winger or full-back role on the right gives Mourinho more freedom to move Alexander-Arnold away from his original position.
Many expected Real Madrid to head back into the market for a Rodri replacement. Mourinho, though, may surprise everyone by turning to an internal solution rather than closing a new deal.
Alexander-Arnold could therefore go from right-back to a fresh card in Real Madrid's midfield. It is an experiment that shows just how far Mourinho will go to find tactical answers within his squad rather than wait for more reinforcements.
