José Mourinho renews or leaves Benfica? Rui Costa's plans | OneFootball

The future of José Mourinho continues to dominate the latest news surrounding Benfica, with the Eagles' SAD already outlining a clear plan to keep hold of the coach. The intention is to move forward with a contract renewal before the start of next season.

In recent months, the 'Special One' has shown complete openness to extending his stay, even pushing the structure led by Rui Costa to take that step. However, the Benfica president chose to postpone any decisions until the end of the season, according to newspaper 'Record'.

As such, the initial idea of discussing the renewal once the new season was already underway has been revised, with the intention now being to close the matter before the start of 2026/27. Even so, everything will depend on the coach's final decision, as he will have a period after the end of the league campaign to assess his future.

In that scenario, Real Madrid's interest appears as the main source of uncertainty. If the Spanish club comes forward with a concrete offer, it could complicate Benfica's plans, especially since a possible return to the Santiago Bernabéu remains an open possibility.

Even so, there is some calm at the Luz. In coordination with the coach, departures, arrivals and squad adjustments are being assessed, in a process which, according to Mourinho himself, includes frequent meetings and detailed analysis, making it clear that, for now, the focus remains on Benfica.

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