Real Madrid's plan to bring coach Jose Mourinho back to Santiago Bernabeu is becoming more complicated than expected. The presidential election initiated by Florentino Perez has delayed the appointment process and risks significantly increasing the deal costs.
According to Spanish media, Real Madrid has reached a principle agreement with Mourinho on a 2-year contract. However, so far, the Royal Spanish team has not been able to officially announce the appointment of the Portuguese strategist.
The main reason comes from President Florentino Perez's decision to hold early elections on June 7. This move slowed down the entire process related to the head coach position, and at the same time put Real Madrid at a disadvantage in the negotiation process with Benfica.
Initially, Real Madrid and Benfica were said to have agreed on a compensation fee of about 7 million Euros to release Mourinho from his current contract. However, this clause is only valid for 10 days from the end of the Primeira Liga season, i.e. until May 29.
After the above deadline, Benfica has the right to increase the contract termination fee to 15 million Euros. This means Real Madrid is likely to have to pay significantly higher if they want to complete the deal in the near future.
Although the two sides can still continue negotiations to find a new fee, sources say it is very difficult for Benfica to maintain the initial figure of 7 million Euros.
Mourinho's return to Bernabeu is seen as a plan to rebuild the team after a disappointing season. The 63-year-old coach used to coach Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013 and won three consecutive titles, notably the 2011-2012 La Liga championship with a record number of points at that time.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid has just experienced a period of instability on the coaching bench. Xabi Alonso was sacked in January, less than a year after signing a 3-year contract with the club, before Alvaro Arbeloa was appointed interim.
Enrique Riquelme will become Perez's opponent in the Real Madrid presidential election. And the views of this 37-year-old businessman could directly affect Mourinho's future at the Bernabeu.
In an interview with a Spanish newspaper, Riquelme frankly admitted that he has never really supported Mourinho, and emphasized his desire to build a long-term project for Real Madrid instead of continuing short-term solutions.
This stance may force Mourinho to consider more carefully about the possibility of reappearing at the Bernabeu. Although he has reached a preliminary agreement with Perez, the Portuguese strategist understands that any plan can change if power at Real Madrid changes hands after the election.
Riquelme believes that Los Blancos made a mistake when they parted ways with Alonso too early. According to him, the former Spanish midfielder was not given enough time and conditions to build the team according to his ideas.
Bringing Xabi Alonso back is the right decision, but letting him leave is a mistake. You cannot build a project in just 3 months. He does not have enough time to make important decisions" - Riquelme said.
However, Alonso has now chosen to join Chelsea, causing Real Madrid to continue to fall into instability on the coaching bench. Meanwhile, Arbeloa is confirmed to leave the team at the end of the 2025-2026 season after two consecutive seasons without winning any major titles.
