Mansion Sports – Jose Mourinho has reportedly identified Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori as a primary target for his sensational return to Real Madrid.

Although he previously allowed the versatile defender to leave when they were both at Roma, the Portuguese coach is now determined to bring the Premier League champion to the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Special One Returns to the Santiago Bernabeu

Mourinho's second spell at Real Madrid has not yet been officially confirmed, although he is reportedly already under a three-year contract to return to the Spanish giants.

The move marks a sensational comeback for the Portuguese manager, who is expected to be officially unveiled after the conclusion of the Real Madrid presidential election this weekend, where incumbent Florentino Perez faces a rare challenge from Enrique Riquelme.

Mourinho Targets Arsenal's Italian Star

Mourinho has made Calafiori a key target in his rebuilding project at the Santiago Bernabeu, identifying the Arsenal star as the ideal candidate to strengthen his defensive line.

It is a bold move considering Mourinho previously sold Calafiori while managing Roma, but he now believes that the 24-year-old would be an outstanding addition to Real Madrid.

The Italian defender has seen his reputation rise rapidly since moving to North London for a £42 million transfer fee and has become an important component of the system implemented by Mikel Arteta.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claimed on his YouTube channel that Real Madrid have already made contact with parties close to the defender to explore the possibility of a transfer.

However, prying him away from the Emirates Stadium will not be an easy task. Calafiori is a highly popular member of the Arsenal squad and has recently celebrated the club's first league title in 22 years.

Building a New Defensive Wall

The pursuit of Calafiori is part of a broader strategy to strengthen Madrid's defense, which Mourinho intends to make difficult to break down once again.

The Portuguese coach has already agreed deals to sign Inter defender Denzel Dumfries, while Ibrahima Konate is also expected to leave Liverpool.

Konate is set to arrive on a free transfer, while Dumfries has a €20 million release clause, and Mourinho now wants to add another versatile defender to complete his trio of new defensive signings.

Calafiori was at Roma during Mourinho's tenure when the Italian club sold him to Basel for just £1.5 million in 2022, a decision that now appears to have been a significant mistake. His ability to operate both as a left-back and a central defender makes him a tactical asset that Mourinho is eager to integrate into his new project, despite having allowed the player to leave the Italian capital several years ago.

Arsenal Face a Challenge to Retain Their Player

Although Arsenal possess considerable depth at left-back with players such as Piero Hincapie and Myles Lewis-Skelly, losing a regular international player like Calafiori would represent a major setback for the project being built by Arteta.

The defender was notably absent from the starting lineup in the Champions League final, although he was dealing with an injury at the time.

Real Madrid may view this situation as an opportunity to test Arsenal's resolve by submitting a substantial offer in the coming weeks.

With Perez promising to bring "the best players" to the Santiago Bernabeu amid the presidential election contest, the pursuit of Calafiori's signature is expected to become one of the major sagas of the summer transfer window as Mourinho begins his rebuilding project in Spain.