Benfica bids adieu to Mourinho amid looming Real Madrid reunion

Benfica's decision to part ways with coach Jose Mourinho was made official on Tuesday, coinciding with speculation that he is nearing a return to Real Madrid, while the club simultaneously announced that it has reached an agreement with Marco Silva, the former Fulham boss, to take the reins.

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The Lisbon club revealed that Real Madrid has formally expressed its intention to secure Mourinho's services for a fee of 15 million euros, equivalent to $17.25 million, as stipulated in the release clause of his contract.

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This development follows the recent re-election of Florentino Perez as Real Madrid president, which has paved the way for Mourinho's potential return to the Spanish capital.

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Mourinho, 63, has a history with Real Madrid, having first joined the club in 2010 and spending three seasons there, during which he led the team to one La Liga championship, one Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup amidst a period of intense rivalry with Pep Guardiola's Barcelona.

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The appointment of the controversial Mourinho can be seen as a bold move by president Perez, given that Real Madrid concluded the 2025/26 season without a major trophy, marking the second consecutive year without significant silverware.

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Earlier on Tuesday, Real Madrid confirmed the departure of coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who had announced his intention to leave at the end of the season just last month, and had taken the helm in January as a replacement for Xabi Alonso.