Florentino Perez favoured the Portuguese after club decided serious change was needed on the back of two seasons without silverware
Jose Mourinho has signed a contract to become Real Madrid’s next head coach and will return to the Bernabeu on a deal running until June 2029.
The 63-year-old signed terms last week and is expected to be formally unveiled after the club’s presidential elections on 7 June. Mourinho is the preferred candidate of incumbent Florentino Perez, who called elections earlier this month and is widely expected to secure another term despite a challenge from the 37-year-old businessman Enrique Riquelme.
Preparations for Mourinho’s second spell in Madrid are already under way and the club are reportedly in the process of appointing his coaching staff.
Perez has led the process to appoint Mourinho, in contrast to the decision to hire Xabi Alonso at the end of last season, which was made by Madrid’s general manager Jose Angel Sanchez and only half-heartedly approved by Perez
Mourinho had been offered a contract extension by Benfica but delayed a final decision on his future until after their final match of the season, a 3-1 victory over Estoril on 16 May that saw his side finish unbeaten but fail to qualify for the Champions League. Sources close to the situation said he had already informed figures within Benfica of his intention to leave.
Madrid considered other options but it was Mourinho who appealed most to Perez. The Portuguese won a La Liga title, a Copa del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup when he managed Madrid between 2010 and 2013, going head to head with Pep Guardiola at the time.
Madrid decided that serious change at Valdebebas was needed after a second consecutive season without a major trophy was made worse by players Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni coming to blows during training.
There have been strong rumours of dressing room unrest and ego problems, and many players have faced accusation from fans of not giving their best. Earlier this year, Kylian Mbappe was accused of missing Madrid games to keep himself fit for France, and the 27-year-old was then heavily criticised for going on a short holiday with his girlfriend while Madrid were struggling in the league.
Alonso was dismissed in January and Alvaro Arbeloa was promoted from Real Madrid Castilla to take charge on an interim basis for the remainder of the campaign. Arbeloa confirmed after the final league match against Athletic Club that he would leave this summer. He also rejected talk of a place on Mourinho’s staff.
