Published On 4/29/2026
Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho remains the preferred candidate for Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to take over the job to succeed current coach Alvaro Arbeloa after the end of the current season.
The Athletic newspaper reported that Mourinho remains the most prominent candidate, but his controversial personality raises question marks about the possibility of his return to Real Madrid starting next season.
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The newspaper added that Perez assigned the task of contracting with the team’s former coach, Xabi Alonso, last summer to his CEO, Jose Angel Sanchez, but it appears that the Madrid club president will personally undertake the task of selecting Arbeloa’s replacement this time.
Jose Mourinho, who led Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, returned to Portuguese Benfica last September, and his contract with the Portuguese club extends until the summer of 2027, and includes a penalty clause worth 3 million euros, but his continuation in Portugal is in doubt.
Last week, Mourinho was asked in a press conference about his future and the possibility of continuing with Benfica next season, to which he replied, “I cannot confirm that.”
“The Athletic” also indicated that there is a division within the corridors of Real Madrid regarding the return of Mourinho, who is nicknamed “The Exceptional” due to his controversial personality and causing problems with the stars, as he did with Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas in the past decade.
Some also expressed their disappointment with Mourinho’s support for Benfica player Gianluca Pristiani, who directed racist abuse at Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, which dissipated Real fans’ enthusiasm about the return of Mourinho, who criticized Vinicius.
The newspaper concluded its report by saying that these reservations do not affect Florentino Perez’s enthusiasm to restore Mourinho (65 years old) in the hope of returning to the podiums locally and continentally.
