Romano: Mourinho strongly recommends, Real Madrid intercepts Barcelona to sign B席 on a free transfer with a 2+1 contract

Real Madrid really did snatch B席 from Barcelona on a free transfer! As reported by Italian transfer guru Romano, Real Madrid is set to sign B席 without a transfer fee, with both parties agreeing to a 2+1 deal: a two-year contract plus a one-year renewal option.

It is understood that this transaction was strongly recommended by new Real Madrid coach Mourinho. Mourinho and B席 are both Portuguese, and Mendes is the common agent for both of them. The contract has been approved, and Real Madrid quickly finalized the deal within the last 36 hours.

B席 came through the Benfica youth academy and rose to fame at French club Monaco. He joined Manchester City in the summer of 2017 for a transfer fee of €50 million and has been with the club ever since. In his nine-year career at City, he has played 460 matches across all competitions, scoring 76 goals and providing 76 assists. He has won 20 trophies with the team, including six Premier League titles (with an unprecedented four consecutive titles) and City's first and only Champions League title.

B席 is now 31 years old, stands 1.73 meters tall, and is a left-footed technical player who can play multiple positions in attack—both in midfield and on the wing. He is valued at €22 million by Transfermarkt. He is known for his high work rate, which fits Mourinho's tactical needs. In the 2023/24 Premier League season, he played 38 games (a full season), scoring 2 goals and providing 4 assists. In the Champions League, he made 8 appearances and scored 1 goal. He is an absolute starter for Manchester City, and Real Madrid's free transfer is indeed a great deal.