Sports
Mourinho: I Did Not Request For Diomande
Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho has revealed the extent of his activity in Real Madrid’s summer transfer dealings, against
against suggestions he held the Real Madrid hierarchy to a strict list of transfer demands upon his return to the Santiago Bernabéu this summer.
Speaking candidly on El Chiringuito ahead of the 2026/27 La Liga campaign, the Portuguese tactician clarified his role in Real Madrid’s active summer transfer window, a period headlined by the staggering €140 million acquisition of 19-year-old Ivorian winger Yan Diomande from Leipzig.
While Mourinho’s return coincides with a serious injection of talent to dethrone reigning champions Barcelona, the “Special One” insisted the club’s sporting directors drove the recruitment independently.
Addressing the media regarding his level of control over the club’s summer transactions, Mourinho denied marching into the boardroom with an ultimatum.
“No, I didn’t ask for anyone. I came in without demanding a single player, having taken a good look at the squad and knowing exactly what I wanted to happen,” Mourinho stated.
He explained that while he had a distinct tactical vision, he allowed the club’s recruitment apparatus to present their targets first.
“I knew what was happening [at the club] and what wasn’t. I wanted to arrive knowing a lot, but acting as if I knew nothing. I knew what I wanted, but I wanted to hear what the club was thinking,” Mourinho added.
“And we were completely on the same wavelength. We’ve always moved in that direction; without me demanding anything, things just fell into place naturally.”
The crown jewel of Real Madrid’s summer business is undeniably Yan Diomande. Real Madrid pursued the teenager to inject more pace onto the flanks after he enjoyed a breathtaking 2025/26 campaign in Germany.
Playing for Leipzig, Diomande recorded 12 goals and 8 assists in 33 Bundesliga appearances, capturing the 2025/26 Rookie of the Season award before eventually shining in Ivory Coast colours at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
When the club presented Diomande as an option, Mourinho admitted he had zero objections, captivated by the teenager’s physical and technical profile.
“Finding a wide player [like Diomande] who is quick, aggressive, and can play on both flanks isn’t easy; it’s incredibly tough,” Mourinho explained.
“Add to that the fact that he’s young, has room to develop, and has many years ahead of him at Real Madrid… when that opportunity came up, I didn’t want to get into whether he cost 120, 80, 40, or 20 [million].”
Mourinho made it clear that the finances were purely a boardroom matter. “I analyse the player’s profile and what he can bring to my team, and on that basis, I say, ‘Yes, I want him.’ Whether it’s 120 or 80… that’s out of my hands.”
Mourinho has been brought back to the Spanish capital with one primary objective: topple Hansi Flick’s Barcelona. The Catalan giants comfortably secured the last two LALIGA titles last season and recently strengthened their own ranks by signing 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri.
With Diomande now integrated alongside the rest of Madrid’s star-studded dressing room, Mourinho believes the club has assembled the right weapons required to end Barcelona’s hegemony.
As Real Madrid prepare to open their new campaign against Espanyol this weekend, the pressure on both Mourinho and his €140 million winger will be immense.
Lionel Messi has completed his purchase of Spanish second division club CD Eldense.
The deal is subject to regulatory approval and is the second Spanish club that Argentina great Messi has invested in, with the 39-year-old having bought Catalan side Cornella in April.
“Club Deportivo Eldense officially announces the acquisition of the club by Leo Messi, marking the start of a new and exciting chapter in the club’s history, which spans more than 100 years,” CD Eldense stated on their website., external
CD Eldense are 19th in the 22-team Spanish second division with one win and five points from their opening seven games.
Former Barcelona forward Messi, who won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, plays for American club Inter Miami in Major League Soccer and announced his retirement from international football in August.
An eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, he reached a “preliminary agreement” to become CD Eldense’s majority shareholder in September, with the process now complete.
“The arrival of one of the most important figures in the history of sport as owner of CD Eldense marks the beginning of a long-term project aimed at promoting the club’s sporting, institutional, and social development,” added the Alicante-based club
Portuguese winger Leão, who wore Ronaldo’s No. 7 shirt in the UEFA Nations League match between Portugal and Denmark, admitted after the game that the gesture held special meaning and that Ronaldo is his idol.
Leão stated in the mixed zone at Parken Stadium: “Yes, Ronaldo is an idol for me, a childhood idol. The number 7 has special meaning to me—it’s the day my children were born. I just tried to honor the shirt and enjoy the game with my teammates. I think the most important thing is that we played a good game and won.”
When asked about Ronaldo’s withdrawal from the national team’s current training camp, Leão declined to elaborate but expressed his belief that Ronaldo would be happy about the victory: “That’s not something for us to discuss. We proved we are a team, and I’m sure he’ll be happy at home for this victory. I have a good relationship with him, and I know what kind of person he is. The most important thing is the team. We got another three points, and we are first in the group. Now it’s time to rest and prepare for Monday’s game. (…) This situation is not up to us. The most important thing is the team, and to respond as a team.”
Regarding the victory in Denmark, Leão emphasized the team’s organization and attacking prowess: “We knew it would be a tough game. They were playing at home with their fans supporting them. They are a team very similar to Norway, very strong physically, but the coach prepared us very well. In both games, we started very organized. Then we created scoring opportunities, we were very efficient, and scored four goals.”
Cristiano Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp on the eve of the Nations League match against Denmark, but the No 7 shirt will not lie vacant.
According to report,Rafael Leao will wear the number 7 shirt on Thursday evening for the match at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, the forward moved in the summer from AC Milan to Galatasaray.
The Nations League regulations stipulate that the players on the teamsheet must be numbered from 1 to 23. That is why Portugal could not avoid giving CR7 the No 7 shirt. Former Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo is in the squad, but Francisco Conceicao is not, sidelined by a thigh problem, although tests ruled out a lesion.
According to report,the fallout from Ronaldo’s departure has hit the Portugal national team, with the national side’s official profile said to have lost around 500,000 followers in just a few hours. Portuguese fans, however, are convinced the man chiefly responsible for the situation is Cristiano Ronaldo himself: according to a poll by ABola 8.1% blame federation president Pedro Proença, 13.7% head coach Jorge Jesus and 78.2% the Al Nassr forward.
The row is not going away any time soon: Marca reports that Ronaldo was promised and guaranteed greater respect by the federation until 2027 to convince him to return to the national team, while Portuguese media say even Portugal’s Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, has asked for a meeting with head coach Jorge Jesus to hear every detail of what happened.
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