Real Madrid Race Against the Clock: Three Must-Watch Transfer Deals to Seal Before the Window Slams Shut

Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho acknowledged that "you never know what could happen" in the closing days of the summer transfer window, even as the Portuguese tactician considers his roster "complete."

The record 15-time European champions had an eventful summer, bringing in six new arrivals at the Bernabéu. Marc Cucurella, Yan Diomande, Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva and Carlos Espí all joined the Spanish capital club, providing Mourinho with depth across virtually every position on the field.

Despite the wave of new signings, Real Madrid still required a 90th-minute goal to edge past Espanyol in their La Liga season opener. A host of familiar problems from the previous campaign resurfaced in the narrow victory, fueling demands for further additions ahead of the Sept. 1 deadline.

"For me, [the squad is] complete, but with the market still open, you never know what might happen," he stated during his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

"You can't predict whether a player will approach you and say they want out because they've been left on the bench for two straight games. I see everyone fully committed and with a strong sense of togetherness, but these things can always occur. I don't know if the president or José Ángel might call to say we've received an extraordinary offer for one of our players.

"In my mind, the squad is complete, and I have no requests. I'm very satisfied with the players at my disposal. If someone were to leave now, I wouldn't be pleased. I'd love to keep this group together for the whole season."

Mourinho may be entirely satisfied with the 25 first-team players at his disposal, but that doesn't necessarily mean Real Madrid will remain inactive in the final days of the transfer window, particularly in a handful of critical areas.

Sign a No. 6

It has been evident for the past two seasons that Real Madrid are in need of a deep-lying playmaker. The club never found a replacement for Toni Kroos or Luka Modrić, and has gone two consecutive campaigns without lifting a major trophy as a consequence.

Rodri was seen as the ideal solution, but he opted for Barcelona instead, leaving Mourinho with Bernardo Silva as his sole midfield addition this summer. The manager appears confident in his current options, yet Saturday's late winner still exposed the team's struggles to break down defensive blocks without a genuine orchestrator in the engine room.

Arsenal's Martín Zubimendi has once again been linked with the club following the Gunners' acquisition of Bruno Guimarães. The Spanish international failed to start in either the Community Shield or Arsenal's 3–0 victory over Coventry City to open their season.

Landing Zubimendi is viewed as a long shot; Mikel Arteta appears reluctant to let go of the player who made 57 appearances for the north London club on the way to the 2025–26 Premier League title. But even if Real Madrid fall short in their pursuit of the 27-year-old, they must still explore alternative options before the window closes.

Sign an Additional Center Back

Center back continues to be a position of concern for Real Madrid. Éder Militão is not expected to return until October, while Raúl Asencio is dealing with a muscular issue that may require surgical intervention.

That leaves Mourinho with only Konaté, Dean Huijsen and Antonio Rüdiger available. An injury to any one of those three would plunge Los Blancos back into a defensive crisis.

AS report that Real Madrid are closing in on 21-year-old center back Oscar Naasei. The Granada defender, who is also capable of operating at right back, is expected to sign with Castilla as talks enter their final stages.

The addition would hand Mourinho another option to call upon should he require extra cover at the back. It may not be a headline-grabbing move by any stretch, but it could prove its worth as the season progresses.

Make Any Last-Minute Sales

For now, it appears that the fringe players at the Bernabéu have all chosen to remain at Real Madrid and compete for playing time. Despite reported interest from the Premier League, Eduardo Camavinga, Endrick and Aurélien Tchouaméni have all reaffirmed their commitment to Real Madrid, as has Asencio.

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However, there is still time for any of the players in white to reconsider, particularly after three La Liga fixtures. Their standing in Mourinho's hierarchy will become increasingly apparent, and a fresh challenge elsewhere could prove more appealing than warming the bench at Real Madrid.

Endrick appeared the most likely candidate to reverse course and depart the Spanish capital following Espí's emergence during his absence, though Mourinho is eager for the striker to remain—a view the Brazilian himself had previously echoed.

Yet if Espí's profile continues to grow over the coming week, Endrick may find it difficult to resist the advances of the numerous top clubs reportedly monitoring his situation.