Real Madrid’s record signing barely plays, but Mourinho has a plan

Yan Diomande arrived in Madrid as Real’s most expensive signing ever. Four league matches later, the 19-year-old is still waiting for his first start, but José Mourinho insists that limited minutes do not signal a lack of trust.

Diomande played 25 minutes against Espanyol, six against Real Sociedad and 26 against Málaga. He remained on the bench until the 64th minute in Friday’s defeat by Betis, when he replaced Arda Güler. That schedule quickly raised questions about the record fee Real paid for him.

Mourinho, however, is sticking to a gradual plan. After the Málaga match, he said: “He is a young boy. Calm down, take it easy.” The Portuguese coach does not want to judge Diomande through the record transfer fee, but as a young player with only one outstanding season at Leipzig behind him. Mourinho considers him hard-working, modest and willing to listen to teammates.

The plan gives Diomande time to adapt while protecting the position of players who earned their places earlier. Güler and Brahim Díaz performed well during preseason, and Mourinho does not want to remove either player simply because Real paid a record amount for a new arrival.

The experience of Franco Mastantuono serves as a warning. Real gave the Argentine a major role too quickly last season, and he made 35 appearances but only 17 starts, scoring three goals. The club loaned him to Fiorentina in August until the end of the 2026-27 season without a purchase option, while still viewing him as a player for the future.

Diomande’s record remains impossible to ignore, especially after he started 28 of 33 Bundesliga appearances for Leipzig last season and produced 12 goals and eight assists. Mourinho wants him to earn his starting place in training and from the bench, but the questions about his minutes will continue.

“

Calm down, take it easy.