Some media circles are trying to stir up controversy over supposed disagreements between Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho and the club's board following the collapse of the Rodri deal. The reality tells a different story. Since the Portuguese coach's return to the Santiago Bernabeu, the relationship between the two sides has been marked by complete harmony and full mutual understanding.
According to Spanish newspaper AS, the dialogue between Mourinho and club officials, led by sporting director Jose Angel Sanchez and his assistant Juni Calafat, has remained frank and open since the decisive meeting held in late April at the Hotel Santo Mauro in Madrid. There, president Florentino Perez decided the Portuguese coach's return was the ideal choice to lead the sporting project.
Working at Real Madrid on the terms he prefers, Mourinho has been granted wide-ranging authority in selecting players and determining the team's needs, without imposing any impossible conditions on the board. On the contrary, he shared his sporting vision from the outset in an atmosphere of mutual respect and full trust.
The three parties discussed several transfer files across those meetings. Names such as Dumfries and Bernardo Silva, with his versatility, came up, alongside the possibility of strengthening the centre of defence and the midfield, and the need to add more pace to the attack. Not one of those discussions saw a single moment of tension.
Spanish midfielder Rodri stood out during the talks, particularly after his notable performances at the last World Cup. Everyone realised he could be a valuable addition to the Madrid side. In the end, though, the player chose Barcelona's offer, and no final agreement was ever reached with him or with his club Manchester City, with whom Madrid never held serious negotiations in the first place.
The board accepted this outcome, and so did Mourinho. He did not manufacture any crisis, whatever some are trying to suggest. The Portuguese coach knows three weeks still remain before the summer transfer window closes, and that everyone at the Valdebebas sporting city is doing their utmost to build a strong team capable of competing for all titles.
Mourinho himself had made a suggestion at the Santo Mauro meeting to convince the board of the need to sign Bernardo Silva: the Portuguese was capable of filling the playmaker role in midfield. Two months on, he has been proven right. Silva has become one of the fundamental pillars of the team's line-up.
Rodri's collapse does not mean the door has closed for good on signing a new midfielder. The file will stay open until the window shuts on 31 August. But neither the coach nor the board are convinced the market is currently offering a player with exceptional qualities worthy of a major investment.
Calmly and with complete confidence, the technical staff and sporting management continue to search and study. They hold a firm belief that the options currently available, including Bernardo Silva, Guler and Tchouameni, can form a strong pairing in midfield. They also await clarification on the situation of Camavinga, who is facing criticism over his level.
Mourinho has established his own style in the rules governing daily life at the training ground. A strict system and absolute control reflect his managerial philosophy, in an atmosphere in which the coach feels happy about what he considers a return to his true home.
Clarity defines the Portuguese coach's dealings with all his players, something everyone appreciates, even those he will not be relying on once the window closes. His approach rests on direct dialogue without anger or tension, and he knows full well that more complicated times will come with the pressures of real competition.