Real Madrid's Midfield Plans Without Tchouameni
Real Madrid are learning to live without Aurelien Tchouameni – and Jose Mourinho is determined that when the Frenchman returns, it will be on his terms, not the calendar’s.
The midfielder has not played a minute this season, still wrestling with the physical issue that first surfaced around the World Cup with France. He pushed through it then, rotated carefully to manage his minutes. The problem never truly went away.
Now it has caught up with him.
Mourinho draws a hard line on Tchouameni
Tchouameni has been dealing with discomfort in the groin area after a gruelling summer with the national team. He wants to accelerate. Mourinho has slammed on the brakes.
According to Bernabeu Digital, Real Madrid have made it clear: there will be no shortcuts. No “let’s see how it feels on Saturday.” No rushing him back because a big game is looming.
Mourinho has laid out a strict recovery plan and will not deviate from it. Tchouameni will only return when he is considered completely ready, not a moment earlier. His workload will be increased step by step, without a fixed comeback date circled on the calendar.
For a 26-year-old desperate to play, it is a frustrating stance. For Mourinho, it is non-negotiable.
The Portuguese coach sees Tchouameni as a cornerstone of his midfield – a player whose physical power and sense of balance allow others to breathe. The potential partnership with Federico Valverde at the base of midfield is central to his thinking. That vision shapes every decision.
So Madrid are prepared to live without him for several matches, even if it hurts in the short term, rather than risk turning a manageable issue into a serious, long-term problem.
Depth buys Madrid time
The timing helps. At this stage of the campaign, Real Madrid can lean on their depth.
In Tchouameni’s absence, Mourinho has turned to Federico Valverde and Bernardo Silva as his holding midfield pairing. It is not the long-term blueprint, but it is enough to get through the early weeks. The squad is strong enough to absorb his absence now; it might not be if he broke down again in the middle of a brutal run of fixtures.
The message is clear: long-term availability trumps short-term convenience.
There had been uncertainty around Tchouameni’s future, especially when Madrid were linked with Rodri. Those rumours have faded. The club’s stance on his recovery, and Mourinho’s insistence on protecting him, underline how important he remains in their plans.
Patience, though, will be essential. There is no definitive return date on the table. Even if it takes another month, the expectation inside the club is simple – when Tchouameni comes back, it has to be at full fitness.
Mourinho is determined not to relive last season’s nightmare of players being rushed back and breaking down again. This time, he is leaving nothing to chance.
The missing profile in Mourinho’s midfield
While Tchouameni recovers, another debate is simmering around Valdebebas.
Real Madrid have invested heavily this summer and bolstered several areas, but one type of midfielder still seems absent from Mourinho’s squad: a pure controller at the base, someone to dictate the rhythm of games rather than just destroy or drive.
Rodri was the plan. The Manchester City midfielder was the ideal profile, but he chose Barcelona instead. That left a gap in the original blueprint.
According to Defensa Central, former Real Madrid player Alvaro Benito believes Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi is the closest thing to that missing piece.
Zubimendi does not dazzle with outrageous numbers. Benito’s argument is different: the Spain international raises the level of everyone around him. His positioning, intelligence and use of the ball give structure to a team. He competes, he wins duels, he organises. Those are qualities Mourinho traditionally values.
Madrid’s midfield is already stacked with talent. Valverde brings energy and verticality. Jude Bellingham dominates higher up the pitch. Tchouameni, when fit, offers physical presence and defensive security.
Zubimendi, in Benito’s eyes, would add something none of them truly specialise in – control from the base, the kind of calm authority that ties all the pieces together.
“He makes those around him better,” Benito has argued, suggesting that if Madrid could land him and Mourinho approved, he would not hesitate.
A long shot now, a saga in waiting?
For now, it is little more than an idea.
The report indicates there is no real movement from Madrid on Zubimendi. Inside the club, the feeling is that the squad is effectively closed for this window. No late arrivals, no surprise departures. Arsenal, for their part, have shut the door on a transfer for the 27-year-old this summer.
Still, Benito’s view lingers in the background. If circumstances change – if Zubimendi becomes attainable and Mourinho gives the green light – he believes Madrid should act.
Even if it does not happen in this window, the Spaniard is seen as a player worth tracking closely in the coming months. Not signing him now does not mean the idea is dead. Far from it. For a club obsessed with midfield control in the biggest games, a profile like his will always be tempting.
As Tchouameni works his way back and Mourinho leans on what he has, one question hangs over this new Madrid: will the missing controller eventually arrive, or will the answer have to come from within?
