Real Madrid open the Mourinho file
José Mourinho is back in the Real Madrid conversation, and this time the story has moved beyond background noise. Real Madrid have started the “José Mourinho operation”, with direct contacts now taking place, with super-agent Jorge Mendes.
Benfica want Mourinho to stay at all costs, but they are aware that talks around a Madrid return are ongoing. The final decision is expected to sit with Florentino Pérez.
That is the key line in this story: it depends on Madrid. Mourinho is currently in charge of Benfica, where he returned in September 2025 on a contract running through the 2026/27 season. The agreement also includes a mutual termination clause, which makes the timing of Madrid’s interest even more important.
Why Madrid are looking again
Real Madrid are already in a period of coaching instability. Xabi Alonso left the club by mutual agreement in January after just seven months, and Álvaro Arbeloa was appointed as his replacement.
That context explains why Mourinho has become such a tempting name again. Pérez remains close to Mourinho, and the Portuguese coach already knows the pressure, politics and expectations of the Bernabéu. For a club searching for authority, edge and experience, Mourinho’s name still carries obvious weight.
Mourinho’s Benfica season adds another layer
Mourinho’s current Benfica season is strange but not weak. Benfica have remained unbeaten in the league, yet still missed out on the title because of too many draws, with Porto already crowned champions.
That makes his position complicated. Benfica can argue that Mourinho has stabilised the club, while Madrid can look at him as a coach still capable of controlling a long league campaign.
The Portuguese club’s position is therefore understandable. Benfica want him to stay, and losing Mourinho after one season would be a major sporting and reputational blow. But if Real Madrid decide to move seriously, the attraction of a Bernabéu return could be difficult to ignore.
Coach profile – why Mourinho still matters
Mourinho, 63, previously managed Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013. His most famous season came in 2011/12, when Madrid won La Liga with 100 points and 121 goals, breaking records during one of the most intense Barcelona-Madrid eras.
That is why this would not be just another managerial appointment. A Mourinho return would be a message. It would bring back a coach who already understands the club, the dressing room and the pressure of managing Real Madrid at full volume.
The agency angle – Gestifute and Jorge Mendes
Mourinho is represented by Gestifute, the agency built by Jorge Mendes. Gestifute are one of the most powerful football agencies in the world, with a coach roster that also includes names such as Unai Emery, Marco Silva and Enzo Maresca.
That matters because Mourinho’s next move is not only a coaching decision. It is also a high-level negotiation involving contract structure, release terms, staff planning, timing with Benfica and the political weight of returning to one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Benfica want Mourinho to stay, Madrid have not made a final decision, and Pérez still has to choose whether this is the direction he wants for the next cycle.
But the operation has started. Direct contacts are taking place, Mourinho is once again in the Real Madrid frame, and Gestifute are attached to what could become one of the biggest coaching stories of the summer.
