José Mourinho's Struggle with Squad Overload at Real Madrid
José Mourinho has never hidden his preference: a lean, sharp, tightly controlled squad. Twenty outfield players he trusts, plus the long-term injured. No more.
Right now, he has 26.
At Valdebebas, that number hangs over Real Madrid’s summer like a cloud. With Éder Militão, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy all sidelined, Mourinho still finds himself three players over his ideal limit. For a coach obsessed with hierarchy, roles and dressing-room temperature, that is a problem.
He said it bluntly after the match in Budapest: “I want a small squad, made up of 20 players plus the injured ones.” Since then, the picture has only grown more crowded. Thiago Pitarch’s promotion to the first team has pushed the tally up again, turning a carefully drawn plan into a puzzle.
Heavy spending, clear ideas
Real Madrid have already done the heavy lifting in this window. The club spent 225 million euros on six signings tailored to Mourinho’s demands: Diomande, Cucurella, Dumfries, Konaté, Bernardo Silva and Carlos Espai. The squad has been reshaped with purpose, line by line.
Rodri was supposed to be the centrepiece, the transfer to headline the summer. Instead, the Manchester City midfielder walked away at a critical moment, leaving a gap in the original blueprint. For now, there is no intention to dive back into the market for another midfielder. Mourinho will live with what he has.
A new central defender could still appear on the agenda, but only under specific conditions. The club would need a strong offer for Asensio, and the academy graduate would have to accept a move. So far, he keeps repeating the same message: he wants to stay.
Versatility as a weapon
Inside this congested squad, Mourinho has drawn a clear line between those who simply occupy a position and those who can bend the system to his will.
Arda Güler and Bernardo Silva sit at the heart of that thinking. Both can operate across the front line, both can drop into midfield. They give Mourinho tactical elasticity and reduce the need for pure specialists who play rarely and complain often.
The same logic applies to Jude Bellingham. In Mourinho’s eyes, keeping players who barely see the pitch is an invitation to frustration, whispers and tension. He has lived that story before and is determined not to repeat it in Madrid.
Two players for every position: that is the plan. But it must be two who matter, not four who grumble.
Camavinga, Endrick and the delicate cases
One of the most intriguing names in this balancing act is Eduardo Camavinga. Real Madrid are still open to selling the Frenchman, yet the market has not responded. No serious offer has landed on the table this summer.
Camavinga has hinted he wants to stay. That stance could change if a major club arrives with a convincing project, but until then, the situation is frozen. Inside the club, there is respect for what he produced in pre-season and appreciation for his commitment in training. Mourinho admires the player. Even so, if a suitable proposal comes, Madrid will not stand in his way.
Endrick’s file was even more sensitive. A loan was on the table, a logical step for a young forward needing minutes. Then Mourinho intervened. According to Spanish newspaper AS, the club shelved the idea at the coach’s request. Endrick stays, at least for now, part of the inner circle rather than a temporary export.
Attention instead has shifted to Mendy. Left-back is overcrowded with three options, and the club would like clarity. Yet, as AS reports, Mendy has no intention of leaving. He is injured, he is unconvinced by the idea of a move, and he remains a player Mourinho finds difficult to rely on due to his fitness record. The stalemate at left-back is one of the main reasons the numbers refuse to drop.
Asensio in limbo
Then comes Asensio, the academy product who refuses to see himself as expendable. He believes he can convince Mourinho he belongs in this project. He worked hard through pre-season to make that case, only to be struck down by a quadriceps injury.
Six weeks on the sidelines at Valdebebas. Six weeks in which potential buyers will think twice. For a player already at the crossroads, the timing could hardly be worse. Real Madrid are waiting for offers. They may be waiting a while.
A squad built, but not yet trimmed
On paper, Mourinho’s structure is clear. Two players for every role. Depth without excess. Competition without chaos.
Reality is more complicated. There is a surplus in central defence until Militão returns and his condition becomes clearer. There is a surplus at left-back, where Mendy’s situation is unresolved. There is a surplus on the right wing, partly masked by Bernardo Silva’s ability to drop into midfield or shift inside. And there is no shortage of options up front.
From the club’s perspective, any departure from this group of surplus players will be welcomed. If the right bids do not arrive, they will stay and Mourinho will manage the consequences.
The foundations of his Real Madrid are already in place. The system, the hierarchy, the key signings: all there. What remains is the hard part for any coach who likes clean lines and clear roles — cutting a squad down to size in a market that does not always cooperate, before the window slams shut and those extra six shirts still hang on the dressing-room wall.
