Gab MarcottiCloseGab MarcottiSenior Writer, ESPN FCGabriele Marcotti is a senior soccer writer for ESPN.com. Read his archive here and follow him on Twitter: @Marcotti.
Real Madrid need a reset after a disappointing campaign which saw them finish eight points behind Barcelona in LaLiga, sack manager Xabi Alonso in January, and end without a major trophy for the second straight year.
The last time president Florentino Pérez endured consecutive seasons without important silverware, he resigned. That was back in February 2006; this time, he called elections and emerged with a mandate through 2030, albeit with a smaller margin of victory than many expected, beating Enrique Riquelme by around 30 percentage points.
A big summer now beckons and is full of key decisions that start with the choice of manager and goes through contract renewals and potential new signings. It's hard to imagine Real Madrid making it three straight empty-handed years.
Here, Alex Kirkland and Gab Marcotti put themselves in the club's shoes and try to answer the many questions Pérez and his board will have to face.
This is the seventh in this year's Keep or Dump series, which examines the most pressing questions facing the Premier League and Europe's biggest clubs in the summer transfer window. Previous teams: Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City.
- Why Pérez's next big move could change Real Madrid forever - Real Madrid unveil home kit for quest to end trophy drought - Should José Mourinho's return as Real Madrid coach really be a surprise?
Mourinho probably wouldn't have been our choice, but now that he's here we have to recognize the positives.
Thirteen years is a long time; both Mourinho and Pérez aren't who they were back then, when his arrival effectively kicked off the golden era of UEFA Champions League success that came later from Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane.
It's a bold choice and Pérez's personal choice, which means he's invested in it. That's important because it means, at least initially, Mourinho will have the president's full support -- something which, perhaps, Xabi Alonso or even Ancelotti (initially) didn't.
When it comes to cohesion and team building, Mourinho has generally done well, even in recent years where his record on the pitch has been mixed. And given what happened this past season, that's something they need: discipline.
Tactically, the Kylian Mbappé-Vinícius Júnior conundrum remains a difficult nut to crack. Worst-case scenario, it turns into Madrid lining up wiuth eight outfield players defending and waiting for those two to invent something and score at the other end. Not ideal, not pleasing to the eye, but at least it should steady the ship for a while and maybe even deliver some silverware.
We think they should, if only for the message it sends. Real Madrid under Pérez have always been about the stars rather than coaches and tactics, but when you don't win, it has a negative knock-on effect on lesser players, too.
When a guy like Mbappé gets booed with some regularity despite his productivity, it should be a warning sign to put the club itself at the center of everything. He's dangerously close to losing the fans at this point.
It's not just about what he does on the pitch -- if Mourinho is happy with him doing zero work out of possession, that's his call -- it's about how he carries himself off it and how he (and his entourage who look after him) behaves.
A sizable chunk of what happened last season could have been avoided with smarter decisions from him and his camp.
Madrid have to give themselves a strict deadline on this. They've been talking for months and months, and both sides know where they stand. Send Mourinho on a charm offensive and then put the offer out there.
Commit by say, Aug. 1, or it's off the table, and then try to shift Vinícius this summer if needed as Madrid can't run the risk of losing him as a free agent. The World Cup will, hopefully, help in that regard. If he does well for Brazil and doesn't take the contract offer, it should be easier to find him a new club as he's 26 next month, and has many years left at the top.
If he struggles at the World Cup, he'll be more likely to commit to Madrid quickly. And while the club have their reservations over Mourinho as a coach, they do have to defer to his opinion to some degree. What we can't have is a scenario where Vinícius extends, but Mourinho is unhappy with him and can't make it work on the pitch; that would be almost as bad as losing him for nothing.
Madrid are pretty chilled out on this one. Courtois loves the club, he's 34 and he'll probably enjoy a disciplinarian like Mourinho after the zoo they turned into last season. The Belgium goalkeeper has given them eight outstanding years and, if he wants to move on at the end of this one, well, he's earned the right.
But we think Madrid will end up extending his deal closer to the end of the season.
Sources tell ESPN that 18-year-old midfielder Pitarch will stay after agreeing an extension beyond next year.
Ceballos has caused far more headaches than his on-pitch contribution warrants. He turns 30 this summer, and the club don't need a frequently injured backup midfielder of that age. If they can't get a fee for his transfer, let him go on a free. He's just not worth it.
Here we disagree a bit. Alex thinks Carreras is "fine," and Gab thinks he needs some legitimate competition. The question is whether they spend serious resources on getting a "starter quality" alternative to Carreras (as Gab would like), or just a guy to back him up.
Both Mendy and García are out of contract in 2027. They can probably get a fee back for García, who works hard but has no long-term upside. Mendy, on the other hand, is nearly impossible to move on because of his injuries and hefty wages, so they're likely stuck with him.
Alexander-Arnold had a poor debut season, in part due to injury. He's an unorthodox right back because of his ability in the attacking third or in central midfield and a lot will depend on how Mourinho views him. But they clearly need someone to challenge him. Pérez announced the arrival of Inter Milan wing back Denzel Dumfries during the election campaign, and he's different enough from Alexander-Arnold that it would make sense.
Sadly, Madrid can't rely on Militão any longer. Anything he can give at this stage is a bonus. Rüdiger's extension makes sense in terms of leadership and experience, but he can't be the first choice. It would be folly to give up on Huijsen at this stage as the 21-year-old's talent is obvious and hopefully Mourinho will help him improve.
Pérez reportedly has a deal in place for former Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté as a free agent. He's the sort of profile they should be looking for, though it's worth noting he's coming off a tough season at Anfield.
We disagree somewhat on Asencio. Alex would move him on ("his quality doesn't match his commitment") and Gab thinks that, as a fourth (or fifth, when Militão returns) option, he's useful, not least because he can also add depth to the right back position.
Alex would keep them both. He notes that Tchouaméni "just had the best season of his career" and should be extended; Valverde was "frustrated under Alonso" and made headlines "for all the wrong reasons" under Arbeloa, but he's still an "elite talent."
Gab isn't quite as convinced: "A lot depends on what Mourinho will expect of them. You do need to extend Tchouaméni, but I wouldn't give him more than two more years. But I think both need to understand they're on notice. They're not kids anymore. Any more nonsense and they're gone next summer."
Run it past Mourinho, of course, but this is one situation where they can actually make a tidy profit. Camavinga is still just 23 and while he's been frustratingly inconsistent and hasn't harnessed his talent, they could probably still get a fee of €50 million or maybe more. That can help fund other positions where they need to strengthen.
As impressive as his debut season was, his last two campaigns have been hampered by injuries, uneven performances, and difficulty finding the right place in the XI tactically. It's another challenge for Mourinho: getting Bellingham, Mbappé and Vinicius to fit isn't easy, especially as Bellingham's best performances at the club have come in an advanced role.
This could be a make-or-break season for him. If it doesn't work out, Madrid will need to move him next summer. The good news is that his residual amortization will be down to €30 million or so, and he'll still be just 23, so they can probably still get a very good fee for his transfer.
Moving him on now is out of the question, at least until the Vinicius situation is resolved. If Vinicius moves on, the club can shift Mbappé back to the left wing, where he does his best work, and stick with Bellingham further forward. If not, Mourinho needs to find a place for him, likely in midfield, and Bellingham has to make it work.
He's an intelligent player and he played three seasons at a top European club (Dortmund) in central midfield. Frankly, there's no reason he can't do it for Madrid.
This will all depend on Mourinho's formation. If it's a front two, then there is no right-wing position, and they're fine with Díaz as an impact sub in that role and Mastantuono going out on loan.
If it's a front three, then it's Díaz or possibly Güler, wide right. Maybe even Valverde. We can't obsess over this until Mourinho tells us what he has in mind. But it's obvious Mastantuono needs to play regularly, and it won't be with Real Madrid this season as he's likely go on loan.
As for Rodrygo, they should just focus on getting him fit and take it from there.
Unless they move Vinicius out -- and move Mbappé to the left -- we're talking about the backup center forward role. Here, we disagree. Alex reckons Endrick is ready and they should look to move García, whose transfer would probably fetch a decent fee.
Gab isn't so sure: "Endrick still seems really raw to me. Let's defer to Mourinho and let him choose. If he picks García, Endrick can go out on loan again, as he's only 20. And if it's Endrick, sure, let's see what we can get back for Gonzalo."
Bring back Paz immediately! He's a star, he's shown it in the past two seasons, and he's a versatile tool with the physicality to fill multiple midfield positions, as well as No. 10 behind the striker. Let him compete with the guys they already have and light a fire under them.
Munoz is a special player, and they need to keep monitoring the situation. Right now, the last thing they need is another left winger. But that could change quickly.
Madrid have plenty of talent in every area of the pitch. That's the good news. The bad news is it's tough to tell how the pieces fit together. Or, frankly, whether Mourinho is the right guy to do so, while rebuilding the trust between the fans and some of the massive egos in the squad.
Mourinho was phenomenal for two seasons at Madrid and then spun badly out of control in the third. They can't let that happen again and everyone needs to realize that the times, people and situations have changed.
Madrid need several defenders, and the fact that reportedly, they're picking up two established veterans like Dumfries and Konaté is a positive. Shifting Camavinga would more than pay for both signings, with enough to spare for a left back too.
Beyond that, it all boils down to Vinicius and his future. How that plays out will impact our squad for years to come.
Source: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49010599/real-madrid-keep-dump-jose-mourinho-charge-stays-put