The midfielder search has centred for some time on Enzo Fernández of Chelsea and Mateus Fernandes of West Ham United. The Argentina international remains out of reach financially — Mourinho likes him but a fee north of €100 million does not fit Madrid's current thinking. Fernandes, whose club was relegated to the Championship, would still cost around €80 million, complicated further by interest from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, reports Marca.
The tournament has introduced a new name. Ayyoub Bouaddi, the 18-year-old Lille and Morocco midfielder, has earned widespread attention with his performances at the World Cup. Real Madrid are not the only club watching — Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea have all been linked — and Lille are demanding a significant fee.
Marca puts a Madrid valuation closer to €60 million, though reports from France suggest Lille's own figure is considerably higher. The club view Bouaddi as a future investment rather than an immediate first option. Morten Hjulmand of Sporting de Portugal, a more physical and defensive profile who had also been considered, is now off the agenda.
At centre-back, everything hinges on the departure of Raúl Asencio — planned for this summer alongside Dani Ceballos and Fran García. Clearing Asencio creates the vacancy. Mourinho has two names in mind: Alessandro Bastoni of Inter Milan and Nico Schlotterbeck of Borussia Dortmund.
Bastoni, who would cost in the region of €70 million, is currently the preferred option. Schlotterbeck suffered a medial ankle ligament injury during Germany's 2-1 win over Ivory Coast at the World Cup and will be sidelined for approximately two months. That setback has pushed the Italian ahead in the queue, though Schlotterbeck remains a viable target at a lower price point — around €50 million — following the inclusion of a release clause in his recent contract renewal. Rubén Días of Manchester City, who had featured in early discussions, is no longer under consideration.
Mourinho has also flagged an interest in a physical centre-forward — a player capable of unlocking compact defences through hold-up play and aerial presence, in the mould of Joselu during his 2023-24 season at the club. It is not a priority, but the coach wants the option.
Both Gonzalo García and Franco Mastantuono will be assessed during preseason, which begins July 13. Mourinho wants to see both before making any judgments.