Mourinho Emerges as Favourite for Real Madrid Return

José Mourinho has emerged as the leading candidate to return to Real Madrid, with the 63-year-old currently the only coach the club is actively discussing for the role.

Mourinho is being considered as a replacement for current head coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who only assumed the position in January after Xabi Alonso left the club.

According to reports, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez first explored the idea of bringing Mourinho back just two days after Alonso’s departure, during early talks with the Portuguese manager’s representatives.

Mourinho is currently in charge of Benfica, having signed a two-year contract with the Portuguese giants last September. Speaking to the media recently, he declined to discuss his future for now.

“There’s a match against Estoril, and from Monday onwards I’ll be able to answer questions about my future as a coach and Benfica’s future,” Mourinho said.

Benfica’s final game of the season against Estoril Praia will take place on Saturday, after which Real Madrid could move quickly to secure a deal. Mourinho’s contract reportedly contains a clause allowing him to leave for €3 million (£2.6 million) within 10 days of Benfica’s final match of the campaign.

Mourinho previously managed Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, winning the La Liga title, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup during his time at the Santiago Bernabéu.

After leaving Spain, he returned to Chelsea for a second spell and guided the club to the Premier League and EFL Cup titles in the 2014-15 season. He later joined Manchester United in 2016, where he won the Europa League, EFL Cup and Community Shield before departing in December 2018.

The Portuguese tactician also had managerial stints at Tottenham Hotspur, AS Roma — where he won the Europa Conference League in 2022 — and Turkish side Fenerbahce before taking charge of Benfica last year.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid endured a disappointing 2025-26 campaign, finishing the season without a trophy. Rivals Barcelona clinched the La Liga title after a 2-0 El Clasico victory and ended the season 14 points ahead of Los Blancos.

Real’s UEFA Champions League journey also ended in disappointment following a 6-4 aggregate quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich.

Off the field, the club recently fined midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde a combined €1 million after a dressing-room altercation.

Valverde, 27, was later treated in hospital for a head injury following the incident involving the 26-year-old France international, though he denied reports the pair had physically fought.

Perez added to speculation surrounding Mourinho’s possible return after calling a news conference on Tuesday. However, he refused to comment on the matter directly, instead criticising his opponents and announcing plans for a new presidential election at the club.