Jose Mourinho is continuing to assemble his backroom team for next season at Real Madrid, where the club is also preparing for a new campaign. Spanish outlet Marca reported that one of Mourinho’s former players, Sami Khedira, is expected to return to Madrid as an assistant.
Khedira, who played for Real Madrid from 2010 to 2015 and was a starter in the Champions League-winning side, has worked as a television pundit since retiring in 2021. He recently completed a coaching course. Marca said he would arrive in the role once filled by Aitor Karanka, describing him as “one of the most important people on the staff.”
Karanka was Mourinho’s assistant at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013 and remained one of the coach’s closest associates. He later managed several Championship clubs and Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2022/23, leaving after the team finished third. He is now the sporting director of Spain’s youth national teams.
The report added that Pepe, another player from Mourinho’s Real Madrid era, could also return to the staff. Mourinho is not expected to bring in assistants with extensive coaching resumes, preferring former players instead. João Tralhão and Pedro Machado, who have worked with him in recent years, are also expected to stay with him at the club.
