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Real Madrid News Real Madrid boss Mourinho wants to unlock key defender’s full potential; has a surprise new role planned Jose Mourinho sees Trent Alexander-Arnold as a major part of his Real Madrid project and could even experiment with the Englishman in midfield as he looks to get the best out of his passing ability. According to Mario Cortegana of The Athletic, Mourinho and his coaching staff view Alexander-Arnold as a highly versatile player who can offer Real Madrid far more than a traditional right-back. The England international is expected to be a regular starter under Mourinho, but the Portuguese manager is also keen to explore whether he can use Trent in more central areas. The idea is not expected to become Real Madrid’s main tactical plan, although Mourinho believes Alexander-Arnold’s vision and range of passing could give his side another way of creating chances for attackers. Mourinho wants to explore Trent’s midfield potential Alexander-Arnold built his reputation as one of the most creative full-backs in world football, but his ability on the ball has often raised questions about whether he could play permanently in midfield. Mourinho is willing to test that possibility at Real Madrid. As reported before, the Portuguese coach wants to see how Alexander-Arnold can operate from right-back before moving into midfield during certain phases of play. That would allow him to create an extra player in central areas while still beginning attacks from his natural defensive position. From Mourinho’s point of view, Trent’s passing range could help Real Madrid progress the ball and find their attacking stars in dangerous areas. With Vinicius, Mbappe and Diomande providing pace and movement ahead of him, Alexander-Arnold could have several high-level targets for his deliveries. It is important to note that the Real Madrid manager does not appear to see the midfield experiment as a complete positional change, but it could become a tactical tool within his system. According to a source cited in the report, Mourinho and his staff see Alexander-Arnold as a “player who will be very important, with a highly versatile profile who can fulfil various roles from his position as a right-back.” That versatility could make Trent one of Mourinho’s most interesting tactical pieces this season. Trent expected to start despite new competition Mourinho’s plans for Alexander-Arnold are also a clear sign of how highly he rates the former Liverpool defender. The Real Madrid manager asked for another right-back after arriving at the club, not to replace Trent but to give him serious competition. That competition has arrived in the form of Denzel Dumfries, giving Mourinho another strong option on the right side of his defence. However, the England international is still expected to be an important starter. Meanwhile, it has been reported that Trent has also enjoyed his early life under Mourinho despite the unusual connection between a former Liverpool player and a manager so closely associated with Manchester United. In fact, sources describe Alexander-Arnold as “a very focused individual who works hard off the pitch and is very ambitious”, while noting that he has remained “low-key and shy” since joining Real Madrid. Furthermore, Alexander-Arnold has also benefited from an extended summer of rest and preparation as he was not in England’s squad for the World Cup. During this time, he worked with specialists to ensure he returned in the best possible condition and subsequently started two of Real Madrid’s four pre-season friendlies. Real Madrid News Real Madrid interested in Porto midfielder with €85 million release clause – report Real Madrid have made as many as six signings this summer transfer window, but they could still focus on a few more additions in the final weeks. It has been made very clear that the only way Los Blancos will be able to reinforce the team is if they make sales. Should they manage to part ways with a few fringe players, Jose Mourinho’s preference would be to look at a new midfielder and a central defender. Now, according to Ben Fernandes Santos, Los Blancos have shown serious interest in Porto midfielder Victor Froholdt, with Jose said to be a strong admirer. Real Madrid are closely following the 20-year-old Dane and continue to assess whether a move is feasible before the end of the window. Mourinho already knows and likes Froholdt The most significant part of the interest is Mourinho’s approval. Fernandes claims that the Real Madrid coach likes the player and had already spoken very highly of him last year, when he was at Benfica. Back then, Mourinho was managing Porto’s rivals and could not have made a move for him even if he had wished to. However, at Real Madrid, the manager could give Froholdt the perfect platform that his talent deserves at the biggest club in the world. Porto protected by €85 million release clause The elephant-sized obstacle is obvious. Froholdt has an €85 million release clause in his Porto contract, which gives the Portuguese club a very strong negotiating position. At 20, he represents the kind of investment Real Madrid usually like in theory: young, high-upside and potentially capable of developing into a major first-team player. However, €85 million would still be a huge commitment for a midfielder who is not yet an established superstar. That means Real Madrid would almost certainly need to be completely convinced before going anywhere close to that figure. Midfield remains an area to watch The interest perfectly aligns with Mourinho still wanting another midfielder despite the depth available in the squad. Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Arda Guler give Real Madrid plenty of options, but the club continue to monitor the market. Any further move may depend on departures first. For now, Froholdt appears to be another serious name under consideration rather than a deal that is already moving towards completion. A potential serious operation could be directly connected to a player like Camavinga, who is not having the greatest of times at the club. The Frenchman did little to convince Mourinho to keep him during pre-season, and Los Blancos could put him up for sale in the coming weeks. This would open the door for someone like Froholdt, and this is one story to keep an eye on in the coming days.