New Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has reportedly finalised his decision on who will wear the captain’s armband for the upcoming season.

According to fresh reports, the Portuguese coach intends to retain Federico Valverde as the team’s on-field leader, brushing aside speculation that he might remove the Uruguayan midfielder from his captaincy duties.

Valverde recently endured a turbulent campaign, with his leadership under scrutiny from both supporters and sections of the media. The 27-year-old’s position came into question following a heated dispute with teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni, which escalated into a physical altercation during training and resulted in Valverde being briefly hospitalised.

The incident fuelled rumours that Valverde could lose his captaincy or even be offloaded during the transfer window. However, insiders at Valdebebas have now ruled out such possibilities, confirming that both scenarios are no longer being considered by the club hierarchy.

As reported by Marca, Mourinho has made it clear that he fully supports Valverde’s continued leadership role within the squad. The Spanish outlet quoted a source close to the situation as saying: “Mourinho has no plans to strip Valverde of the captaincy, let alone show him the exit. He will remain his captain and serve as a vital part of his project.”

With this backing from the new manager, Valverde is set to start the season as Real Madrid’s official captain, reinforcing his position as a central figure in the team’s dressing room and Mourinho’s tactical setup.

— Conor Laird