A Spanish report says Jose Mourinho views Brahim Diaz as an important part of his plans at Real Madrid, with the club’s new head coach valuing the Morocco international’s versatility, work rate and ability to operate in several attacking positions.
The report from AS described Diaz’s career as a repeated cycle of arriving, accepting the competition for places, fighting for his opportunity and then rising again.
“He arrives, accepts, fights, then rises again. That is how it is every summer. It is Brahim Diaz’s routine, season after season,” AS wrote.
The newspaper said the growing competition at Real Madrid had not drained the 27-year-old’s energy. Instead, it had encouraged him to approach every new season calmly and focus on one day at a time.
Diaz is once again seeking to win or regain a regular starting role. He returned to Valdebebas 25 days after Morocco’s 2-0 defeat by France in the World Cup semi-final, a result which ended the Atlas Lions’ run in the competition.
His return came on a day dominated by Vinicius Junior, while there was also a first appearance for Bernardo Silva and a return for Diaz. The occasion also coincided with Diaz’s 27th birthday.
He began the day with a medical examination at Blua Sanitas, only a few minutes from Real Madrid’s training complex, before moving on to the pitch for another familiar pre-season routine.
According to AS, Diaz joined training with confidence rather than arrogance. That belief was described as coming both from his own character and from the faith placed in him by people around the club.
Real Madrid reached an agreement with Diaz last season, at the beginning of Xabi Alonso’s tenure, to extend his contract until at least 2030. The formal announcement is still to be made, but the report said the agreement is already in place.
Persistent speculation about the player’s future has therefore failed to develop into anything concrete. Juventus have been linked with Diaz, along with other clubs, but AS said no move progressed because neither Real Madrid nor the player wanted one.
Mourinho’s plans
The report added that Mourinho’s arrival had not prompted a change in Diaz’s situation. On the contrary, the Portuguese coach is said to regard him as a highly valuable addition to the squad.
Mourinho reportedly considers Diaz a player who fits his footballing philosophy because of his range of skills and willingness to make sacrifices for the team.
Competition for places will remain intense. Bernardo Silva is part of the attacking equation and Diomande is expected to join soon, but Mourinho is believed to be counting on Diaz because he can contribute in a number of roles.
He can play centrally as a creative midfielder or operate from the wing. AS also said Mourinho compares Diaz with Bernardo Silva in terms of their positioning and their potential development within the team.
Diaz can also play as a second striker, a role in which he enjoyed considerable success last season. That came under Arbeloa, after a period in which his involvement had been relatively limited to appearances from the substitutes’ bench before he regained a prominent position.
The Spanish report highlighted Diaz’s refusal to give up when opportunities appeared to be disappearing. He had started only four matches in a period of 194 days, yet went on to start six consecutive games in just 29 days between March and April.
During that spell, and even in the absence of Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid produced their strongest period of the season before their campaign changed dramatically.
For AS, that sequence was the latest example of Diaz’s relentless effort and his habit of overcoming competition and difficult circumstances. It was the approach that previously convinced Carlo Ancelotti and has now led to another challenge.
New signings have arrived, but Diaz’s attitude and determination remain unchanged.
