Mourinho returns to Real Madrid on a two-year contract
José Mourinho is on his way to taking over as Real Madrid’s head coach next season. The main terms of the deal have already been aligned between the parties after recent rounds of negotiation, and the Portuguese coach is expected to sign this month. The return comes more than a decade after his first spell at the Spanish club.
The details of the deal
Real Madrid presented a contract proposal for two years. Mourinho did not raise obstacles during the talks – the coach himself showed clear interest in returning to the Santiago Bernabéu bench. The 63-year-old is expected to travel to Madrid in person to meet the Merengue board right after the final round of the season, which pits the club against Athletic Club de Bilbao.
Jorge Mendes, Mourinho’s long-time agent, was responsible for conducting the negotiations directly with president Florentino Pérez. The two – Mourinho and Pérez – maintain a relationship of trust built since the Portuguese’s first spell at the club, between 2010 and 2013. That personal bond weighed on the decision.
To make his exit from Benfica possible, where he signed a two-year contract just eight months ago, Mourinho will have to cover a release clause estimated at around 3 million euros. A relatively low figure for a coaching transfer at this level. He is also expected to arrive in Madrid accompanied by four assistants brought from Lisbon.
Why Real Madrid bet on Mourinho
The choice is not random. Real Madrid end the season without a single title and with a dressing room in tatters. The most serious point was the physical fight between Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni, which ended with the Uruguayan hospitalized. The board understood that the club needs someone capable of restoring internal order – and Mourinho has exactly that profile.
Interim coach Álvaro Arbeloa, called in to put out fires after Xabi Alonso’s sacking in mid-season, has already confirmed that he will leave the post after the duel with Athletic. The team is therefore left without a defined leader. Mourinho emerges as a quick and familiar solution.
A tough year in Lisbon, an ambitious return to Madrid
At Benfica, the 2025-2026 season was one of ups and downs. The team stayed unbeaten in the Portuguese league for long stretches, but finished only third in the final standings – a result below expectations for a club of its size. Before Benfica, Mourinho racked up spells at Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham, AS Roma and Fenerbahçe over the last twelve years. None of them brought the same prestige as the times when he won the Champions League with Inter Milan or dominated Spain with Real Madrid itself.
Now, at 63, the coach has the chance to close a circle. The Bernabéu will, once again, be the stage.
