Portuguese giants Benfica have officially announced the departure of veteran manager José Mourinho, with the experienced coach now on the verge of a sensational return to Real Madrid.
The Lisbon-based club confirmed on Tuesday that Real Madrid had formally expressed its intention to sign Mourinho and activate the €15 million release clause contained in his contract.
In a statement submitted to Portugal’s financial markets regulator, Benfica disclosed that the Spanish club had agreed to pay the stipulated fee to secure the services of the 63-year-old manager.
The development signals the end of Mourinho’s spell with Benfica and paves the way for a return to the Santiago Bernabéu, where he previously managed between 2010 and 2013.
During his first stint with Real Madrid, Mourinho guided the club to a La Liga title, a Copa del Rey triumph and a Spanish Super Cup, while overseeing one of the most intense periods of rivalry with Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.
Benfica have already moved quickly to appoint a replacement, announcing a two-year agreement with Marco Silva. The Portuguese coach recently left Premier League side Fulham after spending five seasons in charge of the London club.
Mourinho’s expected return comes shortly after Florentino Pérez secured re-election as Real Madrid president, a development that reportedly cleared the path for the veteran tactician’s comeback.
The appointment would represent a major gamble by the Spanish giants, who endured another disappointing campaign after finishing the 2025/26 season without a major trophy. It marked the second consecutive year that Los Blancos failed to secure significant silverware.
Earlier on Tuesday, Real Madrid also confirmed the departure of head coach Álvaro Arbeloa. The former defender had taken over from Xabi Alonso in January but announced last month that he would leave the role at the end of the season.
With Mourinho now poised to return, attention will shift to whether the Portuguese manager can restore Real Madrid to the summit of Spanish and European football.