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Real Madrid's next Galactico defender: Jose Mourinho has an easy choice
Updated: 10 Jun 2026 07:38 BST |
5 min read
Analysis
Real Madrid are going big this summer, and they want to make another blockbuster centre-back signing despite already snapping up Ibrahima Konate.
President Florentino Perez wrapped up several signings in anticipation of his re-election on Sunday, with the Los Blancos supremo agreeing deals for Konate and Denzel Dumfries.
They are the first two recruits of the second Jose Mourinho era at Real Madrid. The legendary Portuguese coach is back at the club after 13 years, as Perez feels that he is the best candidate to help the Spanish giants reclaim their place in the sun.
Compared
Ibrahima Konaté
D (C)
Liverpool
Ibrahima Konaté
D (C)
Liverpool
VS
Denzel Dumfries
D, M (R)
Inter
Denzel Dumfries
D, M (R)
Inter
|
|
ETV |
|
| €28.8M - €35.2M | ETV Range | €19.9M - €24.3M |
| 27 years old (25 May, 1999) | Age | 30 years old (18 Apr, 1996) |
|
France
|
Nationality |
Netherlands
|
Mourinho's first spell was certainly controversial, but Perez credits him with having laid the foundation for the Champions League domination that followed in the wake of his departure.
In order to give the 63-year-old the best platform to succeed, Perez is ready to grant Mourinho his transfer wishes - and there is certainly no shortage of them. In addition to Konate and Dumfries, Mourinho wants two midfielders, a left-back and another centre-back.
Who should Real Madrid sign?
Over the past 24 hours, there has been plenty of speculation about which centre-back Real Madrid will target, with numerous reputable outlets putting forward high-profile names.
• Nico Schlotterbeck (26, Borussia Dortmund)
• Riccardo Calafiori (24, Arsenal)
• Josko Gvardiol (24, Man City)
• Ruben Dias (29, Man City)
These are the four options that are known to be on the radar of Real Madrid, though they are very different profiles. All of them except Dias are left-footed. Additionally, Calafiori and Gvardiol are both able to play centre-back and left-back.
It is believed that Real Madrid would prefer to bring in a more versatile option, and, combined with their age, this would make Calafiori or Gvardiol the obvious choice for the job. But it's not that simple.
Obviously, all four of them are currently contracted to the club, so availability is a major factor. Not a single one of these players is up for sale, but some are more gettable than others.
Schlotterbeck, for example, is on the longest contract after recently signing an extension until 2031 at Dortmund, but he is actually the most readily available of the four. That is because the Germany international has a €60 million release clause this summer.
Los Blancos are said to be mulling over triggering this clause, and if offered the chance to join, Schlotterbeck would jump at the opportunity despite his Dortmund extension. He has reportedly already informed family and friends that he would love to join Real Madrid.
Signing the other three players would be significantly more challenging. Arsenal view Calafiori as an important part of their project, and it is the same for Gvardiol and Dias at Man City. In fact, the latter is currently in contract discussions with the Cityzens.
Should an opportunity to do a deal arise, Calafiori and Dias may command a fee in a similar ballpark as Schlotterbeck. Gvardiol, on the other hand, would likely cost in the region of €100m given that he still holds the record of being the world's most expensive defender after his €90m move in 2023.
Looking at it through the lens of availability, Schlotterbeck would be the obvious choice. But again, it's not that simple. According to data analytics firm SciSports, the German is actually the worst candidate in terms of pure footballing availability.
Calafiori, Dias and Gvardiol would all be clear upgrades on Real Madrid's current options. Not Schlotterbeck. While he would also be a good player for them, the 26-year-old is believed to be slightly worse than Dean Huijsen, who still has bags of potential at 21.
The standout candidate here is actually Dias. He is significantly higher rated than any of Real Madrid's current players and even Gvardiol and Calafiori. This fact should outweigh all other considerations. Despite being the oldest option, Dias is an easy choice for Mourinho and Perez.
29 is not old for a centre-back, and even if it were, longevity clearly does not factor into Real Madrid's thinking at present. After all, they just spent €20m on Dumfries, who is 30 and plays in a much more physically demanding position.
After two trophyless seasons, Real Madrid's only concern is to win. Now. Dias is the clear win-now choice - and he would likely be cheaper than teammate Gvardiol. Given the volume of business Los Blancos are looking to do, the finances of the deal matter.
Only Schlotterbeck has a lower Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) than Dias, with €51.9m. The German currently sits at €43.4m, which, in combination with his SciSkill rating, means that Real Madrid wouldn't get much bang for their buck if they were to trigger his €60m release clause.
Dias wouldn't be a bargain, of course, but he would be the most cost-effective and attainable option. He would also fill the leadership void left by Dani Carvajal. He should be Real Madrid's choice if they are serious about building a new team of Galacticos.
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