Jose Mourinho has ‘approved’ a move for Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori as he prepares to take over at Real Madrid, according to reports in Spain.
Florentino Perez’s re-election as Real’s club president has cleared the way for Mourinho to make a stunning return to the Bernabeu.
Mourinho signed a three-year contract with Real Madrid last month but the deal would only be activated if Perez retained his role at the top of the club.
During his first spell in charge of Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, Mourinho won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.
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The legendary Portuguese manager leaves his role at Benfica after just one season and replaces Alvaro Arbeloa, who has been in charge of Real Madrid since Xabi Alonso’s departure in January.
Mourinho has already made it clear to his bosses at the Bernabeu that he wants to significantly strengthen his Madrid squad this summer.
As a result Real Madrid are lining up a sensational move for Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise and are keeping tabs on West Ham’s Matheus Fernandes.
Mourinho also wants to bolster his defensive options and has ‘approved’ moves for Arsenal’s Calafiori and Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol.
Spanish outlet AS say Mourinho is particularly keen for one of Calafiori or Gvardiol to join as both have experience playing centre-back as well as on the left.
Arsenal beat London rivals Chelsea to a £42m deal for Calafiori shortly after Euro 2024 and the Italian helped Mikel Arteta’s side win the Premier League and reach the Champions League final last season.
Calafiori was Arteta’s first-choice left-back last term, with the 24-year-old keeping Myles Lewis-Skelly out of the team and forcing the England international back into midfield.
Arsenal are aware of interest from Mourinho and Real Madrid but, according to Football London, have ‘no intention’ of selling Calafiori this summer.
The former Bologna star still has three years left on his current contract so Arsenal feel under ‘no pressure’ to sell during the upcoming transfer window.
Speaking before Arsenal lost the Champions League final to PSG, Calafiori said he had ‘unfinished business’ at boyhood club Roma but was ‘happy’ at Arsenal.
‘I’m happy here now, but I’ve left some unfinished business with Roma,’ he told Italian outlet Corriere della Sera.
‘I barely played for that team when I was very young. I’d like to return. Not right away, but sooner or later.’
If Real Madrid are rebuffed by Arsenal, they may turn their attentions to Gvardiol, who completed a £77m move to Manchester City in 2023.
Mourinho also appreciates the City defender and it is claimed Gvardiol is ‘attracted’ to the idea of moving to the Bernabeu and working under one of the most successful managers of the modern era.
But Real Madrid still reportedly view Calafiori as a more ‘realistic’ option and a cheaper target than Gvardiol.
Madrid’s transfer business will fully ignite once Mourinho officially takes over, which will be imminently following Perez’s re-election.
‘We have won the elections and will continue working to keep winning titles,’ Perez said. ‘I am still here and I am here to defend Real Madrid.
‘We will continue working so that Real Madrid keeps winning titles, and we will fight until the end to achieve the 16th European Cup.
‘We will continue to take pride in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, the best stadium in the world.
‘Proud to have the best players in the world, proud to welcome back one of the best coaches in the world, a Madridista like Jose Mourinho.’
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