According to media reports from David Ornstein and Mario Cortegana at The Athletic, Florentino Perez is taking the lead in the selection of the next coach for Real Madrid.
Arbeloa, who stepped in to replace the dismissed Xabi Alonso in January, is anticipated to be let go in June, following a season where Real Madrid appears set to finish without a trophy for the second consecutive year, missing out on LaLiga, the Champions League, and the Copa del Rey.
In contrast to the appointment of Alonso, which was managed by general manager Jose Angel Sanchez, Perez has now assumed control of the decision-making process. The president is keen to rebuild a project he views as faltering, with Mourinho identified as the ideal candidate to regain competitiveness at the Bernabeu.
While Mourinho is the top choice of Florentino Perez, the club’s board has other names on their radar.
Included in their list are two Argentinian coaches: Mauricio Pochettino, who is open to a move to Madrid, and Lionel Scaloni. The current coach of Argentina has been approached by the club but will withhold his response until after the World Cup.
Additionally, Didier Deschamps has emerged as a contender, although his prospects seem limited for the time being, as he is set to depart from his role with the French national team following the summer tournament.
In this context, Mourinho seems to be the most logical choice: the Portuguese manager is merely a phone call away from a return to a familiar environment and is perceived by the president as the sole individual capable of reinstating the competitive spirit that has waned this season.
Mourinho joined Benfica in September 2025 and has a contract that runs until June 2027. However, this agreement contains a cancellation clause of approximately three million euros, which either party may exercise within ten days following the final official match of this season.
The Return of the ‘Special One’ and Internal Divisions
A return to Madrid would enable Mourinho and Perez to rebuild a relationship that previously delivered three trophies between 2010 and 2013, including a LaLiga title achieved with a record points total (100) during the 2011/12 season. Nevertheless, there is a lack of consensus regarding the 63-year-old manager.
Sources from within the club suggest that multiple voices are opposed to his return, recalling the divisions he fostered within the dressing room and the infamous friction with captain Iker Casillas during his previous tenure.
Controversy Surrounding Vinicius Junior
Mourinho’s tenure at Benfica has not been without its own controversies. In February, he faced significant backlash following the Champions League match between Benfica and Real Madrid in Lisbon, where Vinicius Junior allegedly experienced racist insults from Gianluca Prestianni.
Following the match, Mourinho suggested that Vinicius had provoked the incident, a comment that was poorly received in Madrid. Prestianni was ultimately handed a six-match suspension by UEFA, although this was for homophobic insults, not racism.
Compiled by SportArena.au
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