TRASFER: Real Madrid changes the recruitment style

Jose Mourinho has made a fast start in the transfer window at Real Madrid despite the World Cup being under way with the free transfer of Bernardo Silva following hot on the heels of Marc Cucurella's £51.8m signing from Chelsea.

Real Madrid's newly re-elected president Florentino Perez has also lined up the £17m signing of right-back Denzel Dumfries from Inter and the free transfer of centre-back Ibrahima Konate who is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the month. The signings of Silva, 31, Cucurella, 27, Dumfries, 30, and Konate, 27, show there has been a clear change of transfer strategy at Real Madrid. The focus has shifted from young players with promise to experienced players who are ready to be thrown straight in.