Real Madrid's Mourinho happy with squad despite losing out on Rodri

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho expressed his satisfaction with his squad on Tuesday, despite not securing the services of midfielder Rodri. The Spanish club completed a summer transfer window by signing six players, including record signing Yan Diomande, Bernardo Silva, and Marc Cucurella. However, their pursuit of Rodri fell through, leaving them without a significant midfield addition beyond Silva.

Mourinho stated that while he considers his squad complete, the transfer market remains open, acknowledging the possibility of unforeseen opportunities. The Real Madrid coach emphasized that he has not made any new signings and is content with the current roster. With key midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos set to depart in 2024 and 2025, Madrid has faced challenges controlling matches.

Mourinho's side secured a 2-1 victory at Espanyol in their La Liga opener on Saturday, with Silva and Federico Valverde sharing midfield duties. Aurelien Tchouameni, the French defensive midfielder, was ruled out for Real Sociedad's match due to a lack of recovery time after a holiday. Mourinho explained that Tchouameni's medical team deemed it unsuitable for him to start the season in less than peak condition.

The coach expressed confidence in Valverde's ability to play in the central midfield position, regardless of the opponent or team objectives, as he believes modern football no longer assigns specific numbers to individual roles.