Jose Mourinho is set to return to Real Madrid as head coach under a verbally agreed two-year contract.
The Portuguese manager has reportedly bid farewell to his current club Benfica, according to sources speaking to ESPN
Real Madrid are pinning all their hopes on Mourinho, hoping the veteran coach will bring about a turnaround after the Spanish club endured a rare slump of two consecutive seasons without securing a major trophy.
Although the deal has been verbally agreed, the official contract has not yet been signed between Mourinho and Spanish club officials.
Since he is leaving Benfica, the Portuguese club will receive €7 million ($8m) as compensation, as he has a contract with Benfica until 2027.
According to a major report from Spanish radio station COPE, Real Madrid have verbally agreed to this exact list of demands from Jose Mourinho to pave the way for his dramatic return to the club.
According to the reported demands, he will have the authority to determine the positioning of players and move goals. Club management will be prohibited from interfering in matters related to team training.
He specifically requested that he not be forced to attend unnecessary or “pointless” press conferences and that he be allowed to bring his own coaching staff.
The announcement of his joining Real Madrid has taken the internet by storm with mixed reactions from fans.
One fan commented, “I hope he knows managing Real Madrid is all about managing egos and big personalities in football.”
Another wrote: “Best job ever at Benfica, amazing job.”
A third praised him in the words, “He is one of the top managers not to win a UCL title with Madrid, it seems as if he has come back to win it.”
A fourth commented, “Mourinho… special. I really want him to get Real Madrid a winner Osimhen. I also want to see how he will manage to transform the huge amount of talent in Madrid from one person to a team.”
Some fans in the football world called this change a mistake as one user said, “I respect the legacy, but reappointing Jose is a mistake. I’m curious if fans believe the old strategy will work in 2026. That won’t make a difference. It’s just drama for a club that needs stability. It’s a step backward.”
