Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has reportedly established four untouchable first-team starters ahead of the new season, but summer arrival Trent Alexander-Arnold is not among them.
According to Spanish outlet AS, Mourinho plans to implement a 4-2-3-1 formation to accommodate an exclusive attacking quartet comprising Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, and new £120million signing Yan Diomande. The tactical setup suggests a defined offensive approach that could represent a departure from the Portuguese manager's traditional pragmatism.
The arrival of Diomande from RB Leipzig, a winger previously targeted by Liverpool, forms part of a major squad overhaul at the Spanish club. Real Madrid have spent around £205million on six new players during the summer transfer window.
In addition to Diomande, Real Madrid signed defender Marc Cucurella, Carlos Espi, and right-back Denzel Dumfries, while securing midfielder Bernardo Silva and defender Ibrahima Konate on free transfers.
Competition for places at right-back
The intense competition leaves Alexander-Arnold facing a battle to secure the regular right-back position. The former Liverpool defender will compete directly with Dumfries, who joined after winning two Serie A titles with Inter Milan and reaching two Champions League finals.
Alexander-Arnold played 241 minutes during pre-season compared to 239 for Dumfries, although some of the Dutch international's appearances came on the wing. Neither player will have to compete with former club captain Dani Carvajal, a fan favourite who left Madrid in May after 23 years across two separate spells.
Midfield selection and fitness concerns
Competition is equally fierce in midfield, where 32-year-old Bernardo Silva must earn his place alongside Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde, and Eduardo Camavinga. Silva joined Real Madrid on a free transfer after nine seasons with Manchester City.
The Portuguese midfielder faces an early challenge to win over his new manager. Mourinho publicly accused Silva of lacking fitness following a recent pre-season friendly match against Hungarian side Ferencvaros.
Mourinho aims to restore domestic and European success
Real Madrid begin their LaLiga season on Saturday with an away fixture against Espanyol, following an unbeaten pre-season campaign. Mourinho is tasked with restoring the club to prominence after two disappointing seasons.
Real Madrid last won both LaLiga and the Champions League in the 2023-24 season. Since then, the club has been outdone by Barcelona in domestic competition and by Paris Saint-Germain on the European stage.
The 63-year-old Portuguese manager, currently featured in a new Netflix documentary, styled himself as the Special One during his initial spell at Chelsea. However, his last league title came with Chelsea in the 2014-15 season.
While Mourinho achieved reasonable success during subsequent managerial roles at Manchester United and Roma, he failed to meet high expectations during stints at Tottenham Hotspur, Fenerbahce, and Benfica.
