Florentino Pérez is back in full force during this presidential campaign at Real Madrid. New reports continue to emerge daily about signings the club president — a specialist in blockbuster transfers — could already have secured or be close to completing.
If reports on Tuesday suggested that Konaté and Dumfries would strengthen Madrid’s defense and play under José Mourinho next season, the next name on the list appears to be Joško Gvardiol, the Croatian center-back from Manchester City.
The player could leave the English side, and his name has been linked with interest from both Real Madrid and their eternal rivals, Barcelona. According to Onda Cero journalist Alberto Pereiro, Gvardiol is highly rated within the Madrid camp, and the club is willing to make a strong push to secure his signing.
“Mourinho loves Gvardiol. Florentino believes he is the best out of all the defensive options he has been presented with, even ahead of the two already signed. They’re going to go for him, no matter what. Let’s wait and see…” he wrote on X.
Gvardiol can play as a center-back or even as a left-back, another position Real Madrid needs to reinforce due to Ferland Mendy’s recurring fitness issues and the inconsistent performances of Álvaro Carreras and Fran García.
At 24 years old, Gvardiol is a proven defender who would provide immediate impact, much like Konaté. Militao’s injuries, Rüdiger’s age, and doubts surrounding Huijsen and Asensio all point to the need for another center-back.
This time, Florentino Pérez appears ready to invest whatever it takes to build a competitive squad capable of ending two trophyless years, challenging Barcelona for LaLiga, and going toe-to-toe with PSG and the other favorites to win the Champions League.
After the defense, the midfield
On this occasion, the club seems to be shifting away from its policy of signing young players, instead targeting established stars who are among the best in Europe in their positions and key figures for their clubs. This Thursday, Florentino Pérez is expected to reveal the name of his first signing, just four days before the election results are announced.
Once the struggling defense is reinforced, attention will turn to midfield, where top-level names are being linked — with Argentine Enzo Fernández reportedly the leading candidate, pending a potential big-money agreement with Chelsea.
