Mourinho's Stance on Gonzalo Garcia Amid Premier League Interest
Real Madrid have made their first big decision of the summer up front, and it does not involve Kylian Mbappe.
Gonzalo Garcia, the forward who barely saw the pitch last season, has become a quiet battleground behind the scenes at Valdebebas. Minutes have been scarce for him in a front line dominated by Mbappe, yet interest from the Premier League has started to grow, with Fulham among the clubs pushing hardest to tempt him away.
Inside the club, though, the message from the dugout is very different.
According to The Athletic, figures close to Jose Mourinho insist the Real Madrid manager is not simply a fan of Garcia’s potential. He wants him to stay. For Mourinho, this is not a fringe player to cash in on, but a piece of his attacking puzzle for the coming campaign.
That stance complicates things. Garcia’s path to a starting role remains blocked by Mbappe, who sits firmly at the top of the attacking hierarchy. A move to England would likely offer him the one thing Madrid cannot guarantee right now: a regular place in the XI.
Yet every possible departure has a consequence.
If Madrid relent and allow Garcia to go, those same sources say Mourinho’s gaze will turn immediately to Endrick. The Brazilian has just returned from a six‑month loan spell at Lyon and, on paper, offers the most direct alternative to Mbappe through the middle.
For the moment, Endrick is exactly that: the only outright back‑up striker in the squad. That reality sharpens the dilemma. Let Garcia leave, and Endrick’s importance spikes overnight. Keep Garcia, and Mourinho has two distinct profiles to work with behind Mbappe, even if it means managing egos and game time.
The coach’s preference is clear. He wants a classic No 9 somewhere in his arsenal. Those close to the situation describe Mourinho’s desire for a more traditional reference point in the box, a striker who can occupy centre-backs, finish crosses, and give Madrid a different route when the patterns around Mbappe and the wide players get clogged.
The board have responded by scanning the market for that type of forward. Names have not yet solidified into concrete targets, but the profile is set: a more orthodox striker to sit within Mourinho’s structure.
Whether that player comes from outside or is already in the building is the unresolved question. Garcia could grow into that role if he stays and earns Mourinho’s trust. Endrick, younger and just back from France, stands as the internal option if the club cash in on Garcia and look to balance the squad elsewhere.
For now, everything hangs on one decision: do Real Madrid resist the pressure from Fulham and their Premier League rivals, or do they open the door and trigger a new search for Mourinho’s ideal No 9?
In a summer dominated by Mbappe’s presence, it might be the fate of Gonzalo Garcia that truly shapes how Madrid’s attack looks when the season kicks off.
