Mourinho Makes His Call: Valverde Stays as Real Madrid's Key Man

José Mourinho has made his decision on Federico Valverde’s future at Real Madrid — the Uruguayan midfielder is not staying put, he’s being handed a central role. According to Marca, the new Real Madrid head coach views Valverde as an indispensable piece of his tactical setup. Any speculation about a potential departure has been shut down, with the Portuguese boss planning to use the 28-year-old as a guaranteed starter. Valverde joined Real from Peñarol back in July 2016 for a fee of €5 million. Since then, he has climbed from the youth ranks to become one of the club’s most reliable performers. His current contract runs through June 30, 2029. In the 2025/26 campaign, the midfielder made 49 appearances across all competitions, netting nine goals and providing 13 assists. Transfermarkt values him at €90 million.