👀 Mourinho confirms talks with Real Madrid, but adds a caveat | OneFootball

Coach José Mourinho spoke openly about his future and the possibility of returning to manage Real Madrid.

Currently in charge of Benfica, the manager confirmed that the Spanish club, led by Florentino Pérez, has made recent contact.

However, he moved to reassure Portuguese fans by stating that staying is the most likely scenario.

Mourinho stressed that, despite Real Madrid’s interest, his priority right now is to honor his commitment to the Portuguese club, which has even already hinted at an attractive contract extension.

"There is a 99% chance that I will stay at Benfica, because I have a contract with the club and, on top of that, I have a renewal offer that I haven’t seen yet, but my agent said it is excellent," he said.

"I still haven’t heard anything from Real Madrid, but nobody is naive, and there are talks between Jorge Mendes [his agent], the president, and the club’s board. My intention is to see what I have next week," he added.

When asked about how difficult it is to turn down an offer from Real Madrid, the manager was pragmatic.

He explained that the final decision is not about money, but rather about aligned expectations, daily demands, and the kind of working profile the Spaniards have in mind.

What the Spanish press is saying

Despite the cautious tone Mourinho adopted in the interview, the Spanish press is viewing the deal from a different angle.

According to the newspaper Marca, the Portuguese coach’s return to the Santiago Bernabéu is already well advanced, with the official announcement only a matter of time.

If the signing is confirmed, Real Madrid will reach the unusual mark of four head coaches for the first team in just one year.

Mourinho would arrive to replace Álvaro Arbeloa, in a recent game of managerial musical chairs that also involved Carlo Ancelotti and Xabi Alonso.

A bittersweet end to the season in Portugal

Mourinho’s statement came right after Benfica’s final match of the season. The team beat Estoril 3-1 this Saturday and finished the Portuguese league campaign with a curious and frustrating outcome for fans:

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA - AFP or licensors