Eduardo Camavinga Refuses Real Madrid Exit Despite José Mourinho Warning Over Playing Time
The French midfielder plans to stay and fight for his spot despite warnings that game time will be limited next season.
Eduardo Camavinga is resisting efforts by Real Madrid to orchestrate his departure this summer, choosing to remain at the Santiago Bernabéu despite direct warnings from manager José Mourinho that his playing time will be sharply curtailed next season.
The central midfield hierarchy in the Spanish capital is undergoing a significant realignment. With Manchester City midfielder Rodri slated to join the squad, French international Aurélien Tchouaméni is expected to slide into a backup defensive midfield role, creating a bottleneck that leaves minimal operational space for Camavinga in central areas.
Spanish reporter Sergio Valentín revealed on July 26 that Mourinho had formulated his stance on Camavinga prior to conducting his first training session at the club’s Valdebebas facilities. Mourinho communicated to the 23-year-old Frenchman that first-team minutes would be scarce and confirmed that club executives were actively looking for prospective buyers in the transfer market.
Camavinga arrived at Real Madrid from Rennes in the summer of 2021 for a reported fee of €31 million, initially earning praise for his flexibility across midfield and emergency coverage at left-back. However, his standing deteriorated during a challenging 2025/26 season where he was largely confined to bench appearances. Under Transfermarkt valuation metrics and La Liga squad registration rules, high-value squad assets with diminished roles often present prime monetization targets during squad rebuilding phases.
Despite the executive push to identify potential suitors, Camavinga reported on schedule for pre-season training, intending to honor his contract and fight for inclusion in Mourinho’s matchday squads.
