Benfica offer Mourinho new deal amid Real Madrid rumours | OneFootball

Benfica does not want to lose José Mourinho without a fight. Amid rumors linking the Portuguese coach with Real Madrid, the Lisbon club’s president, Rui Costa, has presented him with a formal contract renewal offer, according to the newspaper Record. The ball is now in Mourinho’s court. He signed a contract in September running until next season, with a clause opening a ten-day window after the last league match for both parties to decide whether they will continue together in 2026-27.

Mourinho himself made the timeline clear on Monday. “There is a match against Estoril, and from Monday onward I will be able to answer what my future as a coach and Benfica’s future will be. Relax, there is only one week left,” said the manager, making it clear that he will not speak about the matter before the season ends and the clause comes into effect.

The sporting context adds another element to the equation. Mourinho’s Eagles remain unbeaten in the Portuguese league, but that undefeated run did not prevent the team from dropping to third place after a 2-2 draw with Braga in the latest round. The coach heads into the final stretch of the championship under pressure to keep the club’s ambitions alive in a league that is still undecided.

The rumors linking the Portuguese manager with Real Madrid are gaining strength at a time when the Spanish club is going through one of its worst recent seasons, without titles and with the electoral process announced by Florentino Pérez. The Portuguese coach already managed Madrid between 2010 and 2013, and his name naturally comes up whenever the club needs a strong profile on the bench. For now, Benfica has moved first with a concrete offer. Mourinho’s answer will come next week.

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