Dumfries Reveals He Still Talks to Mourinho About Inter After Real Madrid Switch

Denzel Dumfries has revealed that he still follows Inter closely and regularly talks about the Nerazzurri, despite leaving the club for Real Madrid this summer.

The Netherlands international joined Real Madrid after five years at Inter, with the Spanish giants activating his €20 million release clause. His move also saw him reunite with José Mourinho, who is now in charge at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Dumfries admitted that he and Mourinho have already spoken about their shared time at Inter.

“I like him a lot; he’s a great coach. Just look at what he’s done in his career. Of course, I know about his past at Inter, too,” Dumfries told Libero.

“We’ve talked a lot about Inter. The time we spent there was very special for both of us. We love Inter; we keep following them, and we talk about it.”

The 30-year-old has also remained in regular contact with his former Inter teammates, particularly Marcus Thuram.

“I follow everything, and I still talk to my former teammates. It’s normal,” he said.

“I talk a lot with Marcus [Thuram], and we still make the same jokes about each other, and he tells me everything. Over these five years, we became a family. Now I follow them from afar, but I see everything.”

Asked which former teammates he was closest to, Dumfries named Thuram, Yann Bisseck, Hakan Calhanoglu, Manuel Akanji, Stefan de Vrij and André Onana.

“I don’t want to make anyone angry! Definitely Marcus, Bisseck, Hakan [Calhanoglu], Akanji, de Vrij and Onana,” he said.

Dumfries has already faced his former club this season after Real Madrid were drawn against Inter in the Champions League. The meeting at the Bernabéu gave him the chance to see several of his old teammates again.

“When I saw that we were going to play against Inter, it was great,” Dumfries said.

“At first, I even thought we were going to play at San Siro. I texted the guys saying: ‘I know all your tactics, you won’t be able to surprise me!’ And they joked back that they were going to play 4-4-2, so I wouldn’t know what to expect.”

“It was really nice, although obviously a little strange. Before and after the match it was very special; during the game, though… It’s business, and you have to compete against each other.”

Dumfries also explained why he decided to leave Inter after five seasons and take on a new challenge in Madrid.

“I really like it. It’s such a beautiful city, and I’m really happy,” he said.

“Obviously, it’s difficult to find a better place than Milan, so I had to be careful picking the new city and the new club. I’m really happy.”

“After five years at Inter, I felt that it was the right time to try something new. To me, Real Madrid are the biggest club in the world, and it’s a privilege to play here. It had nothing to do with Inter because I had an incredible time there.”

Dumfries revealed that he informed Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio as soon as he learned about Real Madrid's interest.

“After the [2025-26] season ended, before the World Cup, my agent called to say he was in contact with Real Madrid. I was happy and proud.”

“I immediately told Piero [Ausilio]. I had a great relationship with him and everyone at Inter, and I wanted them to know right away.”

The defender also praised Ausilio and former Inter president Giuseppe Marotta for the way they handled his time at the club.

“To me, they are great people,” Dumfries said.

“Even when it came time to discuss my contract, we were always honest with each other. I considered my age, my goals, and my career. We always spoke openly. Having this kind of relationship with my sporting director was very important. We did everything the right way. They were five special years.”

Dumfries looks back fondly on his time in Milan, with his first Serie A title among his favourite memories.

“I’d say the first Scudetto. The last one was also very special, but the first was incredible,” he said.

“The second star is something that will remain in history forever. Of course, the last Scudetto was a huge surprise. Everyone was looking at Inter and wondering what would happen. Winning the double with Chivu was fantastic. They were incredible years.”