Real Madrid have begun a significant squad rebuild following the appointment of Jose Mourinho and the re-election of Florentino Perez, bringing in Ibrahima Konate from Liverpool, Bernardo Silva from Manchester City, and Marc Cucurella from Chelsea. The club has also seen departures from experienced players Dani Ceballos, Dani Carvajal, and David Alaba.
Centre-back Konate, 27, joins Real Madrid on a free transfer after his time with Liverpool, signing a four-year contract. The Frenchman will bolster the defensive options for Mourinho’s side. Midfielder Bernardo Silva, 31, also arrives on a free, having left Manchester City, and has agreed to a two-year deal with Los Blancos. Silva’s arrival addresses a need for quality in midfield, though he arrives towards the end of his career.
Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella, 27, completes the trio of major incomings, joining for a fee of £51.8 million. The left-back returns to the Spanish capital, having previously played for Getafe, and has signed a six-year contract. This move addresses a clear area for improvement identified by the club.
Departing the Santiago Bernabéu are Dani Ceballos, whose contract expired after nine years with the club, and Dani Carvajal, who leaves after more than a decade of service, including a final season as captain. Carvajal’s exit followed the signing of Trent Alexander-Arnold, signalling a shift in the right-back position. David Alaba’s five-year spell has also ended due to injury problems, limiting him to 132 appearances.
Further changes are anticipated, with Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries expected to replace Carvajal at right-back. Nico Paz is also set to complete a permanent move to Como, potentially generating a profit for Real Madrid. Gonzalo Garcia’s future is uncertain, with Endrick potentially reintegrated from his loan spell at Lyon. These moves signal a clear intent from Real Madrid to compete for major trophies after a two-season trophy drought.
