Real Madrid entered the summer transfer window determined to avoid another disappointing campaign.
The club finished behind Barcelona in La Liga last season and failed to win a major trophy for the first time since 2021.
That led to the appointment of Jose Mourinho, who returned to the Santiago Bernabeu with the task of rebuilding the squad.
Real Madrid have already moved quickly in the market.
Marc Cucurella arrived from Chelsea to strengthen the left side of defence, while Denzel Dumfries joined from Inter Milan to fill the vacancy at right-back.
The club also secured free transfers for Bernardo Silva and Ibrahima Konate as Mourinho reshaped the spine of his team. However, Real Madrid’s defensive rebuild may not be over yet.
David Alaba left the club earlier this summer, while uncertainty continues to surround the future of Raul Asencio.
At the same time, Eder Militao continues his recovery from the hamstring injury that forced him to miss the 2026 World Cup.
According to Defensa Central, Mourinho has now urged Real Madrid to sign Benfica defender Tomas Araujo.
The Portuguese international has emerged as one of the manager’s preferred options to strengthen the centre of defence.
Araujo came through Benfica’s academy and has already made 106 appearances for the club.
He featured 39 times last season and also made nine appearances in the Champions League.
The 24-year-old travelled to the 2026 World Cup with Portugal and made one appearance during the tournament.
Mourinho reportedly remains a huge admirer of his fellow countryman and wants Real Madrid to move for him this summer.
Benfica tied Araujo down to a contract until 2029, meaning negotiations are unlikely to prove straightforward.
Nevertheless, the defender has now emerged as a serious target as Mourinho continues to reshape his Real Madrid squad.
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