Mourinho’s Return to Real Madrid and Impact on Liverpool's Transfer Plans

Jose Mourinho’s looming return to Real Madrid is already casting a long shadow over Europe’s summer transfer market – and it could open a path for Liverpool to finally land one of the midfielders they have admired from afar.

The Portuguese coach is expected to be confirmed as Real’s new head coach, with Spain’s leading outlets treating the deal as a formality rather than a possibility. With that, the club’s carefully drawn-up transfer plans are being redrawn in Mourinho’s image.

And that usually means one thing: a destroyer at the base of midfield.

Mourinho’s first demand: Hjulmand

Spanish radio station Cope reports that Mourinho has identified Morten Hjulmand as a priority signing. The Danish midfielder has been a standout at Sporting CP, attracting interest from across the continent, and now sits high on Real Madrid’s list.

If Real push ahead for Hjulmand, the dominoes start to line up.

Real already boast a crowded midfield. Bringing in a specialist defensive midfielder would not just be a tweak – it would change the hierarchy. Someone established, someone expensive, suddenly looks more expendable.

That is where Liverpool’s interest comes roaring back into focus.

Liverpool’s long game

Liverpool have tracked Real’s midfield for years. Two names have consistently sat near the top of their wishlists: Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga.

Both have been linked repeatedly with a move to Anfield. In Tchouaméni’s case, the story is well known. He admitted in an interview with Le Parisien that he came close to joining Liverpool in 2022, only for Real Madrid to win the race.

Now the situation is shifting.

Reports in England claim Tchouaméni could be available this summer. The Telegraph has already linked Manchester United with a move for the France international. If Real commit to Hjulmand as Mourinho’s anchor, the Frenchman’s status becomes far less secure.

Liverpool, searching for a long-term solution at defensive midfield, will not need a second invitation to at least test the waters.

Tchouaméni under strain

The timing is significant. As of 20 May 2026, Tchouaméni is navigating a turbulent spell in Madrid. He has featured 49 times this season, a clear sign of his importance on the pitch, but the mood around the club has darkened.

Barcelona’s back-to-back La Liga titles have ramped up the pressure at the Bernabéu. Frustration has spilled over. Earlier in May, Tchouaméni was involved in a physical training-ground altercation with teammate Federico Valverde. President Florentino Pérez tried to play the incident down, yet it leaked heavily and fed the sense of unrest.

Those are the kind of fault lines a new manager can choose to seal – or exploit.

Mourinho has never shied away from reshaping a squad ruthlessly. If he sees Hjulmand as the ideal shield in front of his defence, and if he views Tchouaméni as a high-value asset who can be sacrificed to fund that rebuild, the market will react quickly.

An opening for Anfield?

Liverpool’s need is clear. They require a specialist to lock down the base of midfield, someone with the physical presence and positional discipline to underpin a new era at Anfield. Tchouaméni fits that profile as well as almost anyone in Europe.

Manchester United’s interest, if it solidifies into a formal move, raises the stakes. But Liverpool’s long-standing admiration and their previous near-miss with the player give this story an extra edge.

Real Madrid, Mourinho, Hjulmand, Tchouaméni, Liverpool, Manchester United – the lines are drawn, even if no bid has yet gone in.

For now, one thing is obvious: if Mourinho gets his way and Hjulmand walks through the doors of the Bernabéu, the question will not be whether Tchouaméni is on the market.

It will be who dares to move first.