Real Madrid have had a summer of changes, starting with the appointment of a new manager in Jose Mourinho.
Los Blancos have also completed as many as six signings in the transfer window: Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, Bernardo Silva, Marc Cucurella, Yan Diomande and Carlos Espi.
Supporters may be focused on the arrivals of bigger names this summer, but Bernardo’s first outing under Jose was a reminder that not every important signing needs to dominate the headlines.
The Portuguese midfielder looked sharp on his debut against Ferencvaros despite arriving with only a handful of training sessions behind him.
He may still need time to reach peak physical condition, but his football intelligence was evident from the moment he stepped onto the pitch.
Bernardo is not the explosive, headline-grabbing signing many fans expected in midfield.
However, he offers something that Real Madrid have arguably lacked in recent seasons: control.
Bernardo Silva, Real Madrid player
Bernardo Silva has arrived on a free transfer from Manchester City. (Photo by David Balogh/Getty Images)
His biggest strength is not goals or assists, but his ability to dictate rhythm, retain possession under pressure and make the right decision in tight spaces.
Those qualities often go unnoticed until they are missing. Against Ferencvaros, Madrid looked calmer with Bernardo in midfield.
He helped connect defence and attack, recycled possession intelligently and brought composure whenever the game threatened to become chaotic.
Much of the summer was dominated by Real Madrid’s pursuit of Rodri, who would have fitted the bill as Los Blancos’ marquee, headline-grabbing midfield signing.
Now that the move for the 30-year-old star is off the table, with the player giving preference to Barcelona, Bernardo’s importance increases manifold.
Rather than being a complementary piece, the Portuguese now looks set to become one of Mourinho’s primary organisers in midfield.
His experience, tactical discipline and positional awareness make him the closest profile Madrid currently have to someone capable of controlling matches from the centre of the park.
Bernardo Silva could be a strong weapon for Real Madrid next season. (Photo by David Balogh/Getty Images)
He may not be a traditional deep-lying playmaker, but he has all the tools needed to bring balance to a side packed with attacking talent.
There will naturally be questions about managing Bernardo’s workload, given he is now in his thirties.
With Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and eventually Thiago Pitarch competing for places, rotation will be essential throughout the season.
Still, if his debut is any indication, Bernardo could be one of Real Madrid’s smartest additions this summer, having arrived on a free transfer.
He may not have arrived with the fanfare of a statement signing, but while other players may impress individually, whatever Bernardo does improves the team.
He has built a career in football doing just that, and Los Blancos supporters will hope he can continue to do the same for them in the coming seasons.
Jose Mourinho, head coach of Real Madrid
Photo by Christian Bruna/Getty Images
Having already made most of the signings they require for the upcoming season, Real Madrid are now focused on departures in the second half of the transfer window.
There are, however, certain positions regarding which the club are alert on the transfer market, looking for a potential signing that can improve the squad.
The midfield, on that front, remains a priority after Rodri’s decision to join Barcelona. After all, it has been known for a long time now that Los Blancos lack a controlling and creative presence in the middle of the park.
As conveyed by Diario AS in a recent report, Real Madrid are currently not convinced by any option available on the transfer market. They do not see a single profile available that would genuinely improve the team.
Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid manager
Mourinho has faith in his troops (Picture credit: X/@realmadrid)
The club have not closed the door to a new signing, but they continue to watch the market in silence without any desperation for a transfer.
The management and administration are certain that the current midfield will be competitive and that a signing is not absolutely required. If a suitable profile pops up, they will go for the kill.
While Los Blancos are indeed of the opinion that there is no profile that can improve the squad, they have maintained a couple of options on their radar.
Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace
Real Madrid are monitoring Adam Wharton. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
The three players they are monitoring on that front are Kees Smit, Adam Wharton and Ayyoub Bouaddi, although none of the options appears conducive at this point.
While Bouaddi is nearing a move to Manchester City, Wharton’s price tag is a serious deterrent given how much Real Madrid have spent this summer. Smit, meanwhile, lacks the required experience and is not as seasoned an option.
It thus remains to be seen what Real Madrid decide in the coming weeks regarding the midfield, and it will heavily depend on what Jose Mourinho sees in preseason.