Recent reports indicate that Jose Mourinho has personally reached out to Thibaut Courtois, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinícius Júnior as negotiations for his sensational return to Real Madrid reach their final stages.
Negotiations and Strategic Outreach
The “Special One” is currently managing Benfica but is reportedly the primary candidate to replace Álvaro Arbeloa at the Bernabéu. His alleged outreach to key stars aims to address deep-seated issues within a “fractured” dressing room following a 2025–26 campaign that saw Madrid fail to secure any major trophies.
• Kylian Mbappé: Mourinho reportedly intends to make Mbappé the central figure of his tactical project to help him regain fan support after a difficult debut season.
• Vinícius Júnior: Contact with Vinícius is seen as critical for maintaining locker room stability, especially amid reports of squad friction and a need for authoritative management.
• Thibaut Courtois: Re-establishing a strong relationship with senior figures like Courtois is considered essential for restoring the defensive discipline Mourinho is known for.
President Florentino Pérez is the driving force behind this move, believing Mourinho’s authoritative style is necessary to manage the squad’s strong egos.
• Contractual Status: Mourinho has a €3 million release clause in his Benfica contract that can be triggered within 10 days of the season’s end.
• Upcoming Timeline: Mourinho has publicly stated he will only discuss his future after Benfica’s final match against Estoril Praia.
• Demands: Mourinho is seeking full control over transfers and specific “power” assurances within the club’s sporting project before officially signing.
If the appointment proceeds, it would mark Mourinho’s second stint at the club, 13 years after his initial departure in 2013.