Real Madrid have reportedly included Victor Osimhen in their shortlist of summer transfer targets as the club edges closer to appointing José Mourinho as their next head coach.
The Spanish giants are preparing for a major squad reshuffle after what is being described as a difficult season, with Mourinho said to have identified Osimhen as a key attacking option should he take over at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The Portuguese manager’s admiration for the Nigerian striker is not new. Both figures crossed paths during Mourinho’s time in Italian football, when Osimhen was at Napoli and Mourinho was managing Roma.
Mourinho has also previously compared Osimhen’s playing style to former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, whom he coached during his spell at Stamford Bridge.
From Real Madrid’s perspective, Osimhen is viewed as a potential addition who could complement the attacking output of Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, particularly by offering a strong aerial and central presence in attack.
On the managerial front, discussions are reportedly ongoing between Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes and Real Madrid’s hierarchy, although formal negotiations are expected to intensify after the conclusion of the domestic seasons in Spain and Portugal.
Mourinho, who is currently said to be managing Benfica according to reports, is understood to be open to a return to the Bernabéu but has laid down two key conditions.
First, he is seeking greater authority over transfer decisions, similar to the influence he enjoyed during his first spell at the club, when he helped facilitate the arrivals of players such as Luka Modrić, Mesut Özil, and Sami Khedira.
Second, Mourinho is insisting on full independence for the coaching staff, without external interference in team affairs—a stance reportedly shaped by past tensions involving Xabi Alonso during his managerial career.