Sometimes what is needed is something different.
There is a long history in football of counterintuitive thinking being successful, of the benefits of creative tension, of adding grit to the oyster to generate the pearl, but even so, the news that talks between Vinícius Júnior and ***** nal on personal terms are progressing comes as something of a shock. Mikel Arteta's great followers of a blueprint adding a free spirit like the Brazilian? Really?
Vinícius returns to Real Madrid this week after the World Cup with movement on his future expected relatively soon. He has 12 months remaining on his contract and Madrid are keen either to tie him down to a new deal or to sell him while he will attract at least some kind of fee. As their squad rebuild goes on under José Mourinho, Madrid's position is readily understandable. They have already signed Bernardo Silva, Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella and Ibrahima Konaté this summer; removing Vinícius's £420,000 a week (about $30m/year) basic wages significantly increases their financial headroom.
Related: The five big beasts are gone: who will be the Premier League's next alpha manager? | Jonathan Wilson
There's been a sense since Kylian Mbappé joined Madrid two years ago that having him and Vinícius together left the squad unbalanced. Why would you need two rapid forwards who both prefer to cut in from the left, particularly when Rodrygo, who tended to be consigned to the right before tearing his ACL in March, would also prefer to play from the left? Yan Diomandé is likely to confirm his move to Real Madrid from RB Leipzig this week. Although the Ivorian has said he would rather play on the right, he too has spent much of his career on the left.

#cius #prefer

Real Madrid have managed to successfully register their fourth summer signing, Bernardo Silva, in La Liga for the 2026/27 season.
The Merengues had already completed the registrations of three of their five new signings, with Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, and Marc Cucurella already being enrolled.
Now, Bernardo Silva's registration is also complete, leaving Carlos Espi as the only summer arrival being left to be enrolled in La Liga.
Real Madrid signed Bernardo as a free agent after his contract with Manchester City expired at the end of the last season.
Courtesy: La Liga

#summer

Barcelona have had two successive seasons of domestic dominance, winning five out of six possible trophies under Hansi Flick.
During the same period, their arch-rivals Real Madrid have not managed to win a single trophy, prompting them to make wholesale changes this summer.
Florentino Perez has brought back Jose Mourinho as their manager and opened the chequebook to reinforce the squad at his disposal.
The club have already wrapped up deals for Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, Bernardo Silva, Marc Cucurella and Carlos Espi.
However, arguably their biggest transfer of this summer is yet to be announced, with Yan Diomande set to join them from RB Leipzig for a mammoth fee.

#real #perez #jose #mourinho

Real Madrid have already completed five signings this summer: Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva, Marc Cucurella and Carlos Espi.
The Spanish club are also close to an agreement to sign Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig and are in negotiations with Manchester City to sign Rodri.
It is safe to say that it has been a blockbuster summer transfer window for Jose Mourinho upon his return to the club.
One other player Madrid were interested in earlier in the window was Josko Gvardiol, but the Croatian ended up signing a new contract at the English club.
Bernardo Silva wanted to move to Spain. (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images)

#sign

View Link
On this episode of the Managing Madrid Podcast, Kiyan Sobhani and Lucas Navarrete discuss Real Madrid's 2 – 2 draw against Fiorentina, including:
The Denzel Dumfries + Trent Alexander-Arnold combo
Endrick's performance + future
Alexis Ciria

#view #navarrete #real

Fiorentina came back from 2-0 down for a thrilling 2-2 draw with Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid, as Roberto Piccoli and Moise Kean replied to Endrick, with Denzel Dumfries starting.
The Viola have transformed more than any other team in Serie A this season, as last term they barely managed to escape the relegation zone.
New coach Fabio Grosso set them out in a 4-3-1-2 formation with four new signings in the starting XI against the Merengues, playing on neutral turf at the Worthersee Stadion in Klagenfurt.
KLAGENFURT, AUSTRIA – AUGUST 01: Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of Real Madrid, speaks with Trent Alexander-Arnold of Real Madrid during the pre-season friendly match between Real Madrid and Fiorentina at Woerthersee Stadion on August 01, 2026 in Klagenfurt, Austria. (Photo by Christian Bruna/Getty Images)
It took just 12 minutes for Real Madrid to break the deadlock when Carreras burst down the left and rolled across for Endrick to take a touch, get away from Luca Ranieri, and beat David De Gea.

#stadion

After two in-house friendlies, it was time to get on the road for a game against Fiorentina – in-front of a crowd for the first time since Mourinho's return. The Real Madrid XI: Lunin, Alexander-Arnold, Rivas, Martínez, Carreras, Camavinga, Valverde, Güler, Dumfries, Ciria, Endrick.
The first half was the best friendly display I have seen in some time. Madrid took to the occasion and peppered Fiorentina with waves of possession and chances to score. Dumfries was deployed in an advanced role, ahead of Trent – and saw plenty of the ball. Endrick would score the first goal, before Castilla gem Alexis Ciria doubled the lead. Fiorentina pulled a goal back just before the break.
Fiorentina made more changes over the break and into the second-half, but the tide turned as they scored the equaliser through Moises Keane. Madrid seemingly stepped off, and the game looked more even as result. 2-2 at full-time, and another good workout in the lungs filled with both positives and food for thought. Did you like the look of any player in-particular?

#madrid #dumfries #half

Real Madrid have published their starting lineup for the upcoming match against Fiorentina in what will be the first real game of the 2026 preseason.
Real Madrid starting XI: Lunin, Trent, Joan Martinez, Rivas, Carreras, Valverde, Camavinga, Dumfries, Ciria, Guler, Endrick.
Fiorentina starting XI: De Gea, Dodo, Dragusin, Ranieri, Mandragora, Ndour, ****** ioli, Brescianni, Atta, Gudmunsson, Kean.
Real Madrid will rely heavily on Arda Güler to create scoring opportunities today. Joan Martínez will get a good opportunity to showcase his talent in this game.
HOW TO WATCH, STREAM REAL MADRID'S PRESEASON

#real

Real Madrid will play their third pre-season friendly match tomorrow when they take on Serie A side Fiorentina in Austria.
Having faced Spanish sides Alcorcon and Leganes in training matches at the club's training facilities so far, Saturday's fixture comes as a bigger test for Jose Mourinho's new-look Real Madrid outfit.
With the squad list now announced, Real Madrid have confirmed that two of their five new signings – Denzel Dumfries and Carlos Espi – will be travelling to Austria.
Carlos Espi is in the squad. (Photo courtesy: Real Madrid official website)
Dumfries, signed from Inter Milan by activating his €20 million release clause, joined the pre-season training earlier this week and has had a number of sessions under his belt already.

#madrid #austria #carlos

Real Madrid were quick to make new additions to their defense and midfield after the end of the last season, as they signed, Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, and Bernardo Silva.
For the attack, the only major addition in the early phase of the window was the return of the Brazilian forward Endrick from his loan with Lyon. However, the Merengues have now made another addition to their forward line.
As MARCA has reported, Los Blancos have already completed and announced their fifth signing of the summer, i.e., the striker Carlos Espi, whom they have landed after paying his €25 million release clause to Levante. The player has signed a contract till 2031 with Real Madrid.
This new signing will fill the void that will be left with the departure of Gonzalo Garcia, who is very close to completing a move to the Premier League side Fulham, where he will be playing under the former Merengue coach Alvaro Arbeloa.
Los Blancos moved very fast for this latest signing, and only a few hours after reports emerged of their interest in the Spaniard, they had already officially announced his signing. This transfer also disturbs the plans of some Premier League sides, like Hull City and Brighton and Hove Albion, who were also willing to pay his release clause, and the latter already had a deal in place with Levante.

#signed

Gerard Martín is not too bothered with Real Madrid making big headlines this summer and believes Barcelona will remain competitive this season.
The defender, who became a starter last season as a center-back and is poised to play a big role this season, was asked in a radio interview about Madrid's busy time in the market.
Barça's main rivals brought in José Mourinho as manager and signed Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva and Yan Diomandé in a high-profile transfer in the last few days, but Martín is not paying a lot of attention to those moves.
"Frankly, I don't care who they sign. I'm focused on us, what's in our hands. Let them sign whoever they want, we'll go and compete."
It's very easy to confuse activity with competence, and Madrid's big signings after bringing in a new manager are an attempt to fix the mess of last season, when they… made big signings after bringing in a new manager.

#mart #bringing #gerard #madrid

Denzel Dumfries has officially begun life as a Real Madrid player, taking part in his first training session at Valdebebas before sharing his initial impressions with Real Madrid TV.
The Dutch international, who arrived this summer to strengthen José Mourinho's squad, expressed his excitement about getting started after returning from his post-season break and admitted he has already been impressed by the club's world-class training complex.
"After the first training session I feel great, the start has gone very well. After the holidays I'm happy to get going. It's an honor to be here. The facilities are incredible. Very big. You can get lost very quickly. They're helping me figure out where everything is."
Dumfries also spoke about the welcome he has received since arriving in Madrid. While several first-team players are still away following the World Cup, the defender said everyone currently at Valdebebas has made him feel at home.
"They've welcomed me very well. Several are still on vacation for the World Cup, but those who are here have given me a great reception: the coaching staff, the manager… I've felt very welcome. We have a great team and a great manager. It's great to work with them and learn from them."

#session

We have just reached half-time in Real Madrid's second pre-season match against Leganés. Real Madrid took to the field with the following line-up: Lunin, Alexander-Arnold, Huijsen, Asencio, Carreras, Camavinga, Valverde, Güler, Mastantuono, Ciria (Castilla), García. Attendance at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano was restricted to journalists and staff, with new signing Denzel Dumfries amongst the few spectators.
After a slow start to proceedings, with Madrid maintaining possession at almost walking-speed – we ended up seeing a good amount of action. Arda Güler linked up with Fede Valverde for the first chance of the game, but the Uruguayan could not get his toe to the delicate pass. The same combination would later open the scoring, this time with a combination along the floor allowing Fede to poke the ball home. Madrid would make it two straight after a drinks break, when a trademark Trent Alexander-Arnold pass found Gonzalo García who **** ed the ball over the keeper to score. Trent was deployed very high up the pitch, and was a standout alongside Arda.
Leganés did pull a goal back with an unstoppable effort that left Andriy Lunin and his defence mesmerised. A great first-half test against a strong second division side – with the score currently reading 2-1 to the hosts ahead of the second period. Changes are expected at the break. Check out our socials for coverage for the remainder of the game.

#second #alexander #arda

Real Madrid right-back Denzel Dumfries talked to the club's media and shared his thoughts after completing his first training session as a madridista.
"After the first training session, I feel great. Following the holidays, I'm happy to start. It is an honor to be here. The facilities are incredible. Quite expansive. One could easily get disoriented but they are ****** isting me with everything," said the defender.
Dumfries then talked about his teammates.
"They have welcomed me very well. Several are still on holiday due to the World Cup, but those who are here have received me very well: the coaching staff, the manager… I have felt very well received. We have a great team and an excellent manager. It is very good to work and learn from them," he explained.
Dumfries concluded his brief interview talking about his goals for the preseason.

#well #here

Real Madrid have come out all guns blazing in the transfer market. The arrivals of Bernardo Silva, Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries and Ibrahima Konate have significantly strengthened Jose Mourinho's squad, with further additions still expected.
Yan Diomandé is on the verge of joining the club, and Real Madrid have also accepted that signing Rodri represents the final major step in their summer rebuild.
However, that strategy comes with one unavoidable condition. Before making any further signings, the club must reduce the size of the squad, reports MARCA.
That is where the biggest challenge of the summer begins. While recruitment has progressed well, the sporting department now faces the more complicated task of overseeing departures.
The first player under consideration is Raul Asencio. At present, he is regarded as the most likely member of the squad to leave the club.

#real #madrid

The Real Madrid squad is set to undergo some major changes next season, especially in the defensive unit with the club bringing in the likes of Ibrahima Konate, Marc Cucurella and Denzel Dumfries this summer.
But even in attack, there could be changes following the return of Endrick after a successful loan spell at Lyon during the backend of last season.
The prospect of Endrick’s return has put pressure on the future of Gonzalo Garcia, who has been linked with a move to Fulham recently.
Real Madrid, though, are not entirely sure about parting ways with Garcia this summer, even on a loan deal.
Real Madrid are not selling Gonzalo Garcia, at least for now. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

#real #even

View Link
On this jam-packed episode of the Managing Madrid Podcast, Kiyan Sobhani is joined by Musa Okwonga, Phil Kitro, Siavoush Fallahi, Ahmet Bob Torgut, and Matt Wiltse to discuss:
Jude Bellingham’s World Cup and the ridiculous narratives surrounding him
Marc Cucurella domination
Denzel Dumfries and how he fits at Real Madrid

#view #link #Managing

Real Madrid signed three new defenders only a few days after the end of the last season to bolster a key area of the team that caused them quite a few problems during the last season. Two fullbacks, Marc Cucurella and Denzel Dumfries, and one center-back, Ibrahima Konate, have been signed, while the club can still sign one more center-back before the end of the summer transfer window.
Although he is still to join his new team, one of these three players, Cucurella, must already have delighted the Merengues. This is particularly because he played a key role in helping his Spain team win the World Cup, showcasing his talents against some of the biggest international sides like Portugal, France, and Argentina.
In addition to the board members, who decided to sign the defender, Real Madrid players are also seemingly delighted with his signing. As Diario AS has reported, the Brazilian forward Rodrygo Goes took to social media to congratulate the Spaniard on his World Cup triumph, and to welcome him to the Merengue club.
Rodrygo replied to a post made by Cucurella in which the Spaniard can be seen kissing the World Cup trophy with the following words:
"Congratulations on the **** le!! We're waiting for you at the biggest club in the world."

#team #signed

Reports in Italy claim that Tottenham defender Djed Spence would be more expensive than Anan Khalaili for Inter, but the Nerazzurri are still willing to open talks with Spurs.
Inter are looking for a replacement for Denzel Dumfries, who has joined Real Madrid after the Merengues agreed to match his €20m release clause.
Inter's primary target, Marco Palestra, joined Chelsea instead, while Khalaili failed his medical tests this week, leaving the Serie A ******* le holders still in need of a new right wing-back.
Gazzetta, Sky Sport Italia and Corriere dello Sport claim that Spence is quickly becoming Inter's favourite target, although the Nerazzurri are still ******* sing and have a long shortlist, which includes Strasbourg's Guela Doué, among others.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – JULY 05: Djed Spence #25 of England clears the ball in front of Santiago Gimenez #11 of Mexico during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Mexico and England at Mexico City Stadium on July 05, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter have set their eyes on Tottenham Hotspur fullback Djed Spence for their seemingly cursed right flank.
The Nerazzurri simply haven't had a moment of respite since selling Denzel Dumfries to Real Madrid earlier in the summer.
They had Marco Palestra earmakred as the Dutchman's long-term replacement, only for the young Italian to ditch them for a move to Chelsea at the eleventh hour, much to Beppe Marrotta's chagrin.
They then had a €25m deal agreed with Union Saint-Gilloise for Anan Khalaili, only for the Italian National Olympic Committee to deny him medical approval.
Now, the Inter want Djed Spence, whose stock is skyrocketing by the minute. The 25-year-old was once available to Genoa at €10 million after his half-season loan at the Luigi Ferraris; now his value has tripled that, and he could go for well more than that given how things pan out over the week.

Italian champions Inter Milan are in active negotiations to sign Tottenham Hotspur full-back Djed Spence, but are only willing to pay up to €30 million (£25.6 million) for his services. Roberto De Zerbi is at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Serie A giants have made the 25-year-old Englishman a top summer target, but face a significant hurdle as Spurs are holding out for a considerably higher fee.
Inter had previously agreed a €30 million deal for Union Saint-Gilloise wing-back Anan Khalaili. However, the Israeli international failed his medical with Italian authorities, prompting Inter President Beppe Marotta to pull the plug on the transfer. Looking for an immediate replacement for Denzel Dumfries—who departed for Real Madrid earlier this summer—Inter have now turned their attention to Spence.
For Spence, interest from the Nerazzurri caps an impressive career resurgence. After underwhelming loan spells at Leeds United and Bologna, the 'outstanding' defender returned to Hotspur Way and completely revitalised his career. Over the past two seasons, Spence has made 79 appearances across all competitions. His performances earned him an England call-up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, where he has featured in all six matches so far.
However, Spence's rapid rise has complicated transfer negotiations. Tottenham are well aware of the defender's surging profile. While Inter's budget for this operation is capped at the €30 million initially set aside for Khalaili, Spurs' hierarchy are holding out for a significantly higher package.
Spurs are under no pressure to sell on the cheap, with domestic rivals Everton also monitoring Spence's situation.

Jude Bellingham's outstanding World Cup continued on Saturday as his two-goal performance against Norway not only fired England into the semi-finals, but also helped Real Madrid make tournament history.
The 23-year-old scored twice in England's victory to take his tally to six goals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Those strikes also pushed the total number of goals scored by Real Madrid players at this year's tournament to 19, setting a new all-time record for a single club in World Cup history.
The previous benchmark of 18 goals had been shared by Hungarian side Honvéd at the 1954 World Cup, Bayern Munich in 2014, and Paris Saint-Germain at the 2022 tournament.
Bellingham has now emerged as one of the standout performers of the competition, trailing only fellow Real Madrid teammate Kylian Mbappé in the Golden Boot race. Mbappé leads Madrid's scoring charts with eight goals, while Bellingham sits second with six. Vinícius Júnior finished the tournament with four goals before Brazil's elimination, and Arda Güler contributed one goal for Turkey during the group stage. Brahim Diaz and Denzel Dumfries were active contributing ******* ists.
The new record underlines Real Madrid's enormous influence on the tournament. Honvéd's previous mark in 1954 was driven largely by legendary Hungarian striker Sándor Kocsis, who scored 11 goals to finish as the tournament's top scorer. Bayern's 2014 total featured Thomas Müller's five-goal campaign, while PSG's record-equalling contribution in Qatar came thanks largely to Kylian Mbappé's eight goals and Lionel Messi's seven.

Real Madrid's summer rebuild may still be ongoing, but Jose Mourinho already appears to have a clear picture of how he wants his team to line up next season.
According to a report from Miguel Serrano, relayed by Defensa Central, the Portuguese manager has largely settled on his preferred Real Madrid starting XI for the 2026/27 campaign, with only a handful of positions still open to competition.
According to reports, Mourinho is happy with the core of his squad after several high-profile arrivals, although he is still pushing the club to strengthen in two key areas before the transfer window closes.
Mourinho's defensive setup already looks relatively clear. Summer signing Marc Cucurella is set to start at left-back, while Ibrahima Konate has been identified as one of the leaders of the new-look defence after arriving from Liverpool.
On the opposite flank, Denzel Dumfries is reportedly viewed as the first-choice right-back and one of the manager's guaranteed starters ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

La Liga giants Real Madrid have this weekend announced the latest addition to the club's first-team setup.
This comes amid confirmation that long-term transfer target Denzel Dumfries has officially put pen to paper on contract terms in Spain's capital.
Real Madrid were of course forced into the market for reinforcements at right-back with a view to next season.
Following the departure of Dani Carvajal as a free agent, Los Blancos were left with Trent Alexander-Arnold as their only senior option on the right of defence.
The aforementioned Dumfries, in turn, was quickly earmarked as a priority signing by Florentino Pérez and co.

For the past decade or so, there has been an international football star whose name provokes a smile of recognition among residents of a south of Scotland town.
Denzel Dumfries has played in World Cups with the Dutch national team and the Champions League final with Milanese giants Inter.
The story of his first name - in honour of the actor Denzel Washington - is fairly widely known.
His surname, however, has a more complicated history which has much more to do with the Caribbean than the town known as the Queen of the South.
Suzette Dumfries is a cousin of Denzel's father Boris, and has a long-standing fascination with the family name and its history.

On Tuesday, La Liga announced the complete fixture list for the 2026-27 season, with Real Madrid now knowing who they will play across the 38 matchdays. After two years without winning the ******* le, there is a strong desire to return it to the Bernabeu next May, and with Jose Mourinho now at the helm, their chances are good.
Real Madrid will start the season on the weekend of the 16th of August with a home match against Copa del Rey holders Real Sociedad, with their first away fixture the following weekend at Elche. Newly-promoted side Malaga then travel to the Bernabeu before they round off their first set of five matches with matches against Real Betis (away) and Rayo Vallecano (home).
Fans will eagerly anticipate the first El Clasico fixture of the season, which takes place on MD10 – the weekend of the 25th of October – at the Spotify Camp Nou, with the return match being at the Bernabeu on MD35 in May. As for city rivals Atletico Madrid, Mourinho’s side will travel to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on MD7 before welcoming Diego Simeone’s men to Catalonia on MD30, scheduled for early April.
Real Madrid are certainly in a better way to win the La Liga ******* le than they were a few weeks ago. The arrival of Mourinho, coupled with Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella and Bernardo Silva being signed, has injected fresh optimism into the Bernabeu, and that could increase further with more new signings.
Real Madrid are currently working on plans to sign a new central defender and midfielder, and if they were to tempt Michael Olise away from Bayern Munich with a record-breaking offer, they would surely be favourites to conquer Barcelona and Atleti in the race to win the 2026-27 La Liga ******* le.

Real Madrid have been busy this summer, with four new signings having already been added to Jose Mourinho’s squad for the 2026-27 season. However, they won’t be done there, with plans for further players to arrive alongside Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella and Bernardo Silva.
A new centre-back and midfielder are wanted, with Alessandro Bastoni and Enzo Fernandez respectively believed to be the leading candidates for these positions. However, president Florentino Perez is also dreaming of signing Michael Olise, whom he sees as the perfect player to complete the Real Madrid attack.
Until now, it has seemed very unlikely that Real Madrid would have any chances of signing Olise, with Bayern Munich having no plans to sell. However, a window of opportunity could open up according to Christian Falk, who has claimed that the French winger does not want to sign a new contract at the Bundesliga champions.
“The Michael Olise situation is getting a little bit dangerous for Bayern Munich. There are rumours around the Frenchman, where the people around him are allegedly saying that he knows he can always win the league with FC Bayern, but he’s already done this, and now he has the DFB Pokal also under his belt. The Champions League, meanwhile, is perhaps a little more difficult to win at Bayern Munich.
“There are rumours he’d like to make a transfer somewhere else, and that Real Madrid is the club he should be dreaming of. Olise doesn’t talk much, so you never know if the rumours are true. Still, the people who are talking are supposedly really close to him. This could be a problem for Bayern, because everyone knows that dissatisfied players are not good players. I don’t see the France international signing a new contract at Bayern in the near future.“

It was a massively disappointing week in Inter circles when the club missed out on the signings of both Marco Palestra and Nico Paz within the ****** e of a few days, but reports in Italy suggest that the club’s owners are at fault for failing to land the signings rather than the club’s directors.
It is no secret that Inter were targeting a move for Palestra for their soon-to-be-vacant right wing-back position. Denzel Dumfries has had his release clause activated and the two-time Italy international was touted as his heir in waiting, Beppe Bergomi suggesting that the Nerazzurri ‘could’ve had the next Achraf Hakimi’.
Inter had even looked into the possibility of signing Palestra from Atalanta during the January transfer window while he was still on loan with Cagliari according to recent reports in Italy.
However, despite weeks of negotiations, The Nerazzurri ultimately failed to land a deal for Palestra, who is now set to join Premier League side Chelsea in a deal worth €60m including add-ons. Beppe Marotta, Piero Ausilio and co. had been attempting to close a deal for €45m plus bonuses.
In Italy, it had been reported that Inter’s Oaktree ownership group had set aside €50m for the signing of Palestra this summer and that any other new arrivals would have to be funded through the sales of current players.

Real Madrid are welcoming in a new era this summer, with Jose Mourinho having returned as manager for the first time in 13 years. He has already had influence on the club's transfer business, with four players having already been signed.
One of those is Denzel Dumfries, who will officially join on the 1st of July after Real Madrid triggered the release clause in his Inter contract. The 30-year-old will compete with Trent Alexander-Arnold for the starting right-back spot following the departure of Dani Carvajal, although there could be doubts over the continuity of the England international.
Trent's first season at Real Madrid was interrupted by injuries, and when he did play, his defensive struggles came to the fore again. Right now, it's unclear what Mourinho thinks of him, although if an exit were to transpire, former Manchester United player Antonio Valencia would want him at Old Trafford, as per Hajper (via Liverpool.com).
"Trent is a player I like a lot. He has a very good right foot, he crosses well, and he is a player who defends well. He would be very good for Manchester United. He knows the Premier League. He knows what it means to win the Champions League and the Premier League. He is a passionate player, and I would like to see him at Manchester United."
A move to Man United would be highly controversial, given that Trent previously played for Liverpool. His reputation among the Merseyside club's supporters nosedived following his Real Madrid move, but it would drop even further if he ended up in Manchester.

In the last 24 hours, it has been confirmed that Nico Paz will not be returning to Real Madrid this summer. On Thursday, Los Blancos activated the €9m buy-back clause in their agreement with Como, but within a day, they agreed a deal for the Serie A side to retain his services on a permanent basis to the tune of €60m.
An immediate profit of €51m is very good news for Real Madrid, who have already spent €80m this summer on Marc Cucurella (€60m) and Denzel Dumfries (€20m), on top of free transfers Ibrahima Konate and Bernardo Silva. The money coming in from Paz can be put towards his Argentina teammate Enzo Fernandez, who is Jose Mourinho's top target to strengthen the midfield in his squad.
Not only have Real Madrid made a huge profit on Paz, they have also managed to retain a buy-back clause in the new agreement with Como. Next summer, they will be given the chance to definitively return him to the Bernabeu for €80m, and according to Guillermo Rai of The Athletic, they are already planning to activate this.
Right now, the feeling within Real Madrid is that Paz is worth in excess of €80m. The sale to Como for a reduced price of €60m has allowed them to retain control over the 21-year-old's future, and there is chances for his value to grow further given that he will have a lot more prominence at the Serie A side than if he had returned to the Bernabeu, where he would not have been counted on much by Mourinho.
Real Madrid will certainly be keeping a keen eye on Paz's development at Como during the 2026-27 season, and barring any surprises, it appears that they will sign him back next summer.