Jose Mourinho is ready to implement a 4-2-3-1 formation at Real Madrid next season


The Jose Mourinho era at Real Madrid is increasingly visible with the Portuguese coach enjoying greater freedom and power over the club's transfer policy this summer. Mourinho has played a key role in enabling Real Madrid to recruit not one, but four new players in the transfer window so far. However, players are only half of the story. It is very important for Mourinho to support a strong team with the right tactics. For this reason, Mourinho decided to operate with a 4-2-3-1 formation at Real Madrid ahead of the new season. This is in accordance with information from The Athletic, which states that Mourinho and Real Madrid's management agree on what the squad needs to make the 4-2-3-1 formation successful. The agreed priorities are finding a backup for right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, a left-back to challenge Alvaro Carreras, at least one key centre-back, and a creative midfielder. The arrivals of Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate and Bernardo Silva all directly fill that need. Mourinho also favors asymmetrical wing-backs, envisioning right-backs, whether Alexander-Arnold or Dumfries, having greater attacking freedom than left-backs. He also sees Jude Bellingham as a key figure in the number 10 position, with the England international dropping into a box-to-box position at times. This move to a clear 4-2-3-1 formation highlights the contrast to the tactical uncertainty under the previous two coaches. Under Xabi Alonso and then Alvaro Arbeloa, the team often seemed caught between systems, struggling to establish a consistent structure that maximized the talent they had. A lack of clear identity contributed to two seasons without a major trophy, with the squad often looking unbalanced and unsure of their best form. Mourinho has been given far greater influence over recruitment than Alonso or Arbeloa have. Where previous regimes were often given a squad built around the club's overall vision, Mourinho has been given a real opportunity to participate in decision-making, allowing him to shape the squad according to his tactical blueprint from day one.