Mourinho's Return to Real Madrid: Tchouaméni's Future in Jeopardy

Jose Mourinho’s second act at Real Madrid has not yet been made official, but the club is already starting to move as if his name is back on the door at Valdebebas. The expectation from leading outlets is clear: the “Special One” is coming back, and with him a very specific idea of what his midfield should look like.

And that could ripple all the way to Anfield.

Mourinho’s first demand: a destroyer

Spanish outlet Cope reports that Mourinho has identified a new defensive midfielder as a priority and has gone straight for one of Europe’s rising specialists in the role: Morten Hjulmand of Sporting CP.

Hjulmand has been on the radar of several major clubs across the continent after an impressive season in Portugal, anchoring midfield with a blend of aggression and positional discipline. If Madrid move decisively, they will not be alone in the queue, but Mourinho’s arrival would give that pursuit a very clear purpose: build his trademark platform of control and physicality in the centre of the pitch.

That is where the story starts to twist for Real Madrid’s existing midfielders – and where Liverpool’s interest quietly comes back to life.

Alarm bells at Anfield

Liverpool have not been strongly linked with Hjulmand himself, but they know the Madrid midfield market as well as anyone. Two names in particular have sat on their long-term wish list: Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga.

Both have been repeatedly associated with Liverpool in recent years. Tchouaméni even admitted in an interview with Le Parisien that he came close to joining the Reds in 2022 before choosing Real Madrid instead. Liverpool moved on at the time, but they never stopped watching.

Now Mourinho’s desire for a new holding midfielder threatens to squeeze the numbers in that area. If Hjulmand arrives to sit at the base of midfield, someone of real stature will feel the ground shift beneath him.

All eyes go to Tchouaméni.

Tchouaméni on the brink?

Reports in England, including from the Telegraph, claim that Manchester United are monitoring Tchouaméni’s situation and would be interested if Madrid open the door this summer. The idea of one of Europe’s premier defensive midfielders suddenly becoming available has not gone unnoticed.

Liverpool, searching for a long-term solution at the base of their own midfield, can see the opportunity as clearly as anyone. They need a player to solidify the centre of the pitch, to shield the back line and allow their more creative midfielders to roam. Tchouaméni, with his blend of physicality, range and reading of the game, fits that description almost perfectly.

The equation is simple: if Mourinho gets his man in Hjulmand, Real Madrid will have to make room. And Tchouaméni is already standing on uncertain ground.

A turbulent spell in Madrid

As of 20 May 2026, Tchouaméni’s time in Spain is at a crossroads. The 26-year-old has racked up 49 appearances this season, a figure that underlines his importance on paper. Yet the mood around the club is anything but calm.

Barcelona’s back-to-back La Liga title wins have turned the pressure up at the Bernabéu. Inside that tension, fault lines have started to show. In early May, Tchouaméni was involved in a physical altercation with teammate Federico Valverde during a training session – an incident that President Florentino Pérez tried to play down publicly but which quickly leaked out and dominated headlines.

It was the kind of flashpoint that often signals deeper frustrations in a dressing room. For a player already under scrutiny after the team’s domestic struggles, it has only sharpened the focus on his future.

Liverpool’s opening – if they dare take it

If Mourinho lands in Madrid and insists on Hjulmand as his anchor, Real will be forced into decisions. The squad is rich in midfielders, but not all of them will suit the new manager’s blueprint. One big name moving on would help fund the rebuild and rebalance the dressing room.

Manchester United are already positioned, ready to test Madrid’s resolve over Tchouaméni. Liverpool, though, know this market, know the player, and know exactly what they are missing in their own midfield structure.

The door that once closed in 2022 may be creaking open again. The question now is whether Liverpool step through it before a rival from Manchester does.