José Mourinho is reportedly the top favorite in Real Madrid’s search for a coach. But there are other names on the list as well.
Is José Mourinho actually returning to Real Madrid? The rumors that have been circulating for weeks are now apparently much more than just that. As reported by The Athletic and Marca, among others, “The Special One” is at the top of the Royal Club’s now-short list of potential new coaches. According to these reports, talks have already taken place between the parties.
Mourinho is under contract with Benfica until the summer of 2027, but can reportedly leave the Lisbon club for a fee of around three million euros. Currently, he and his team are locked in a tight race with city rivals Sporting, who are level on points, to finish the season in his home country in second place behind champions FC Porto and thus secure a spot in the Champions League qualifiers.
Real could already be confirmed as La Liga runners-up this Sunday if they fail to secure a victory in the Clásico against the far-ahead league leaders, FC Barcelona. Such a humiliation at Camp Nou would fit perfectly with a season that will once again end without a major title and has recently descended into complete chaos. Just last Friday, an apparently heated altercation between Fede Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni prompted the club to impose internal fines totaling one million euros.
All of this makes a strong case for an experienced, seasoned coach like Mourinho, for whom discipline is a top priority—not just on the field. “All roads lead to Mou,” writes Marca. Although it has not yet been officially announced that Alvaro Arbeloa, who succeeded Xabi Alonso in January, will have to leave at the end of the season, it is already considered a done deal.
Marco Silva a candidate at Benfica? And Deschamps at Real?
Following the outcome of the Spanish title race, the search for a new coach—which, according to The Athletic, club president Florentino Perez is personally leading this time—is set to be accelerated. Benfica is also already considering the possibility of Mourinho’s departure, even though the club’s leadership would like to keep the 63-year-old. A Bola is mentioning Marco Silva as a potential successor; he has been successful at Fulham FC and also has numerous admirers in the Premier League.
Mourinho, who won one league title and one cup title with Real between 2010 and 2013 and is said to have a good relationship with Perez, is not the only candidate at Real, however. According to media reports, the shortlist also includes U.S. national team coach Mauricio Pochettino, Massimiliano Allegri, and the outgoing successful coach of the French national team, Didier Deschamps.
