Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Sami Khedira (37) will return to Real Madrid as part of José Mourinho’s coaching staff, with the former Germany international set to begin work at the club in July 2026 in his first senior bench role.
The appointment fits directly into the staff-building exercise Mourinho has been conducting since signing his contract as Real Madrid manager. Khedira spent five years at the Bernabéu between 2010 and 2015, arriving from VfB Stuttgart as one of Mourinho’s first signings during the Portuguese coach’s original Madrid cycle, and his return completes a deliberate effort to anchor the new backroom staff with figures who carry institutional weight inside the club.
Khedira’s role and position within Mourinho’s staff
As per Romano, Khedira joins as assistant coach – a position that, according to multiple reports, is understood to extend beyond tactical support into a specific liaison function between the dressing room, the coaching staff and the club hierarchy. His multilingual profile and status as a World Cup winner are central to why he was selected for that bridge role.
The Athletic and Spanish outlets report that Khedira was chosen ahead of former Madrid teammate Pepe, who had also been seriously considered for a position on the staff. Mourinho is understood to have pushed personally for Khedira’s inclusion. Alongside him, Mourinho is bringing João Tralhão and Pedro Machado as assistant coaches, António Dias as fitness coach, Roberto Merella as performance analyst, and Nuno Santos as goalkeeping coach.
Khedira’s Madrid history and the Karanka parallel
Khedira was a consistent starter under Mourinho during his first Bernabéu spell, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa before leaving for Juventus on a free transfer in 2015. Marca frames the appointment in the mould of Aitor Karanka’s role during Mourinho’s first tenure – a trusted former Madrid player serving as cultural and institutional anchor within a largely Portuguese backroom unit.
Since retiring in 2021, Khedira has worked as a television pundit and on developmental projects with FIFA. He holds coaching qualifications, and those inside the club are understood to view that combination of media experience and formal preparation as appropriate groundwork for a high-responsibility staff position, as outlined in analysis of Mourinho’s return and its broader implications.
What comes next for Mourinho’s Madrid project
Khedira is slated to report for pre-season in early July 2026, when Mourinho’s second cycle at the club effectively begins. His day-to-day tactical responsibilities remain to be formally defined, with Real Madrid expected to present the full staff structure ahead of the 2026–27 campaign. Attention will then turn to how Mourinho’s transfer priorities for the summer intersect with the squad dynamics his new staff will inherit.
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