Mourinho's Madrid Spending Spree Could Hand United a Midfield Gift

Jose Mourinho may have departed Manchester United back in December 2018, but the Portuguese tactician's influence over the Red Devils' midfield recruitment continues to echo across the continent – now from his perch at Real Madrid, where he's been busy reshaping the Spanish giants' engine room.

This week alone has seen Madrid confirm the arrivals of Marc Cucurella from Chelsea for £52m and Bernardo Silva on a free transfer from Manchester City, capping off a summer that's already brought Ibrahima Konate from Liverpool (free) and Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan (£17m) through the Bernabeu gates. Mourinho's next box-to-box recruit is firmly in his sights.

Marca reported on Wednesday that Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez heads the Portuguese coach's shopping list, despite the Blues' stubborn £120m valuation. Ben Jacobs confirmed the Argentina playmaker is "keen" to follow Cucurella's path from Stamford Bridge to Madrid, with the midfielder having made his desire to leave west London abundantly clear.

On social media, Jacobs revealed: "Enzo Fernandez is keen to join Marc Cucurella at Real Madrid, and has made no secret of wanting to leave Chelsea. Chelsea's asking price remains £120m, as revealed last month. Club calm about the situation, but will sell at the right price. Real Madrid are currently deciding on the type of midfield profile they want. Mateus Fernandes and Rodri two other names discussed."

The Spanish outlet AS corroborated this assessment, though suggested Rodri has slipped down Mourinho's wish-list in favour of a two-horse race between Mateus Fernandes and Fernandez.

Fernandes, currently plying his trade at West Ham for an £80m fee, remains firmly on United's radar. Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday that the Red Devils have established direct contact with the player's representatives, with Fernandes himself reportedly enthusiastic about a move to Old Trafford.

The Silver Lining

Should Mourinho's Madrid come calling for Fernandes, it could prove a stroke of luck for the Old Trafford hierarchy. According to AS, Real Madrid's summer spending blitz has left them open to offloading a midfielder from their current ranks – particularly if they land either Fernandez or Fernandes.

The likely candidates for the exit door are Eduardo Camavinga or Aurelien Tchouameni. Both have attracted Premier League interest, with United particularly keen on Tchouameni as a potential partner for Kobbie Mainoo in midfield rather than his French compatriot.

Historically, Tchouameni has occupied a more pivotal role in Madrid's setup than Camavinga, though Mourinho's preference between the pair remains unclear. Recent tension between Tchouameni and Federico Valverde could yet prove decisive in determining the midfielder's future at the club.

Should the La Liga side place Tchouameni on the market, United may well abandon their pursuit of Fernandes entirely, reasoning that a battle with Real Madrid for the West Ham man simply isn't worth the expenditure.