President Florentino Perez is directly pushing the plan to bring Jose Mourinho back as Real Madrid's head coach from the summer of 2026.
President Perez trusts Mourinho to help Real Madrid revive.
Real Madrid are likely to change managers after the season ends. According to The Athletic, President Florentino Perez considers Jose Mourinho his number one target to take over the team from Alvaro Arbeloa.
Arbeloa was appointed in January after Xabi Alonso left, but the results have not met expectations. Real Madrid face the risk of ending the season for the second consecutive year without winning La Liga, the Champions League, or the Copa del Rey. This has forced the management to consider a major overhaul.
Sources indicate that Perez is directly overseeing the selection process for the new manager, unlike last season when General Manager Jose Angel Sanchez was in charge of the Alonso deal. The Bernabeu boss believes Mourinho has the leadership qualities to rebuild a team that is currently directionless.
Mourinho managed Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013, winning three titles, most notably the 2011/12 La Liga championship with a then-record points total. The Portuguese coach also helped Real end Barcelona's domestic dominance during their peak period.
However, Mourinho's return did not receive absolute approval within the club. He had previously caused controversy due to conflicts with many key figures, especially former captain Iker Casillas and the group of Spanish players. The 63-year-old strategist's forceful style always generated two opposing viewpoints.
Mourinho currently manages Benfica and has a contract until June 2027. However, the agreement is reportedly subject to a release clause worth around 3 million euros, allowing the two parties to part ways after the season.
Besides Mourinho, Real Madrid had previously considered Mauricio Pochettino, Didier Deschamps, and Jurgen Klopp. However, at this moment, Mourinho is the most prominent name for the hot seat at Bernabeu.