Real Madrid Transfers: Heavy Spending, Yet Still Lacking!

Real Madrid went through one of their busiest summers ever, with six new arrivals and a total of 225 million euros poured into the transfer market, but the team remains incomplete.

After Rodri turned them down to wait for a move to Barcelona, José Mourinho still lacks a top-class midfielder to complete the rebuilding of Real Madrid—a side that has gone two seasons without a major trophy, resembling a patient suffering from "spinal inflammation."

Six New Signings for a Major Overhaul

Looking at what Real Madrid have done, it's hard to say President Florentino Pérez hasn't indulged Mourinho. At least compared to Carlo Ancelotti's second term (with two Champions League titles) or Xabi Alonso's tenure a year ago, the support is evident. The six new recruits cover all positions, from center-back, full-backs, midfield, to attack. The most high-profile is Yan Diomande, costing 125 million euros (excluding add-ons).

Diomande provides an option that Mourinho desperately needed on the right flank. He was the most effective dribbler in Europe's top five leagues last season, with a 56% success rate—ahead of Jeremy Doku (53%), Lamine Yamal (52%), and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (51%). No other player even reached 50%. Pairing Diomande with Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior gives Real Madrid an attack with speed and breakthrough ability that is among the most fearsome in Europe.

Carlos Espí adds a squad option from the bench, something Gonzalo García (who moved to Fulham) failed to provide last season. Bernardo Silva brings experience, technique, and versatility. Ibrahima Konaté will compete with Dean Huijsen, Rüdiger, and Éder Militão (if he recovers).

The most obvious overhaul is on the flanks. Last season, neither Trent Alexander-Arnold nor Álvaro Carreras lived up to expectations. Trent offered passing ability but his defensive limitations were repeatedly exploited, plus he suffered injuries. Carreras lacked solidity on the left. This was a particularly serious issue for a team whose attackers were not outstanding in defensive support.

Pérez nodded when Mourinho chose Denzel Dumfries and Marc Cucurella. Both can bring strength, speed, and relentless up-and-down movement on the wings. At Inter and Chelsea respectively, they have proven these qualities. Cucurella, in particular, was just named the best left-back at the 2026 World Cup. They promise to provide the intensity and energy that "Los Blancos" lacked on the flanks last season.

Bernardo Offers Only "a Little Bit" of Rodri

On paper, the overhaul looks nearly complete. However, Real Madrid have spent 225 million euros—or 240 million if you count Mourinho's buyout clause—and still haven't fixed the most crucial part of the "spine." This issue has existed since Toni Kroos retired in 2024 and became even more serious after Luka Modrić left the Bernabéu.

Real Madrid are not short of quality midfielders: Aurélien Tchouaméni, Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Jude Bellingham, or the discovery of Thiago Pitarch in the second half of the 2025–26 season. But none of them truly controls a game like Kroos did. Over the past two seasons, Real Madrid have often found themselves with the defense and attack disconnected, lacking a conductor in the middle to decide when to accelerate, when to keep possession, escape pressing, and move the team forward together.

That's why Rodri became a special target for Mourinho. After the World Cup, Rodri waited for an official offer from Madrid. Unexpectedly, Rodri called to inform the Bernabéu that he had chosen Barcelona. This left Mourinho disappointed.

In the second half of the friendly win over Ferencváros 2–1 last weekend, Mourinho tested Bernardo Silva in the exact role of Rodri. He gained little of note. Bernardo can only offer "a little bit" of Rodri. "Bernardo is very important, but he's the type of player who, if he does nothing during the break, his mind is very relaxed, but when he returns to preseason training, his fitness base is significantly lower," Mourinho did not hesitate to admit. "He needs to improve gradually."

The puzzle becomes more complex when Mourinho looks further up. Bellingham just proved at the 2026 World Cup that his most effective position is near the penalty area, just as he exploded under Ancelotti in his first season at the Bernabéu. Pulling Bellingham deeper would be inefficient and would lose a goal-scoring option. The Tchouaméni–Valverde pair is not good at dictating tempo. Will Mourinho dare to risk fielding Diomande, Mbappé, and Vinícius simultaneously? Real Madrid's attack last season was criticized for lacking intensity in pressing, with forwards "lazy" in defensive support. So, after 225 million euros, the "spine" to support the attacking stars is something Pérez has yet to buy.