{
  "id": 1757433,
  "title": "Mourinho will count on Real Madrid youth player if club fail to sign a new centre-back",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/mourinho-will-count-on-real-madrid-youth-player-if-club-fail-to-sign",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-18T17:15:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mourinho-count-real-madrid-youth-171500766.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Jose Mourinho is considering Real Madrid's youth player, Mario Rivas, as a potential backup centre-back if the club cannot secure a new defender before the end of the current transfer window. Despite signing six new players, Mourinho remains concerned about the depth of the team's defence. The Portuguese manager is confident that Rivas, along with fellow youth player Alex Ciria, has impressed him during pre-season. If Real Madrid fails to sign Alessandro Bastoni, the club's preferred target, Rivas could step in and take up one of the available centre-back positions alongside Ibrahima Konate, Dean Huijsen, Antonio Rudiger, and Eder Militao. The coaching staff seems to favor Rivas and Ciria over players like Raul Asencio, who has expressed a reluctance to leave his current team, and Joan Martinez, who is not considered a top choice.",
  "summary": "Despite having signed no less than six players, Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho is still keen on bringing in another centre-back this summer.The Portuguese coach is concerned the current depth of...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Real Madrid’s predicted centre-back duo to start the new season",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/real-madrids-predicted-centre-back-duo-to-start-the-new-season",
        "published": "2026-08-18T19:15:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}