Real Madrid identify five midfield targets as Mourinho’s favourite comes with €100m price tag – report

Real Madrid identify five midfield targets as Mourinho’s favourite comes with €100m price tag – report Real Madrid are weighing up five midfield options as they look to address a problem that has affected their ability to control games and create chances.  On that note, the likes of Adam Wharton, Kees Smit, Martin Zubimendi, Manu Kone and Alex Scott have emerged as names under consideration, with one target carrying a price tag of more than €100 million. According to journalist Miguel Serrano, as relayed by Defensa Central , Wharton is the midfielder Real Madrid admire most, although Crystal Palace’s valuation could complicate any attempt to bring the England international to the Santiago Bernabeu. Wharton tops Real Madrid’s midfield shortlist Serrano outlined the club’s thinking while discussing the different profiles being considered, including Zubimendi, whose emergence as an option does not necessarily mean Real Madrid will pursue a deal. “Martin Zubimendi? The fact that a new option has opened up doesn’t mean they’re going to sign him.  “Among the options the club likes most for the midfield is Adam Wharton, who is the player Real Madrid most admires, but he’s expensive, because Crystal Palace are asking for more than 100 million euros.  Manu Kone was proposed by Jose Mourinho in the summer. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images) “Option 2 is Kees Smith, a player the club’s technical staff loves, but Mourinho sees him as too similar to Arda Guler.  “The third option, proposed by Mourinho, is Kone, who plays for Roma, but at Real Madrid they see him as a clone of Fede Valverde. That’s where the option of Alex Scott, the Bournemouth midfielder, comes in, whose contract expires in 2028,” stated the journalist. Mourinho and Real Madrid disagree over midfield alternatives The five candidates offer different qualities, but the shortlist also explains a difference between what the club wants and what Mourinho is asking for.  While Smit has admirers within the club , the manager reportedly sees similarities between the Dutch midfielder and Arda Guler. Kone, meanwhile, is an option proposed by Mourinho, although Real Madrid view him as a player with a profile similar to Federico Valverde.  Scott enters the conversation as another alternative, with his Bournemouth contract running until 2028. Real Madrid must resolve their midfield planning problem Mourinho and the Real Madrid board seem to be divided over midfielder’s profile. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) The bigger question is whether Real Madrid will commit to signing the creative midfielder they need.  Their failure to secure Rodri last summer was followed by a decision not to pursue another player for the role, despite the need for reinforcements. The club’s hierarchy has often been reluctant to revisit decisions in its sporting planning, particularly when it believes previous transfer successes have been overlooked, even though the midfield remains an area that requires attention. Any recruitment decision will also depend on Mourinho’s future as well.  If results deteriorate further, uncertainty over the manager could complicate the club’s plans, but for now, Wharton appears to be the standout target. However, his valuation means Real Madrid may have to consider more affordable alternatives.