Ongoing Mystery Surrounds Mourinho's Return to Real Madrid

Anticipation continues within Real Madrid regarding the return of Portuguese coach José Mourinho to lead the team, despite circulating news about an undisclosed agreement between the two parties for him to take over the technical role starting next season.

The Spanish newspaper 'Mundo Deportivo' confirmed that Mourinho is still officially contracted with Benfica, as Real Madrid has yet to officially announce the deal, following the team's second consecutive season without winning any championship.

The newspaper indicated that the electoral process launched by club president Florentino Pérez two weeks ago has frozen the contracting file within Real Madrid, even though the club's regulations allow for transactions during this period.

The agreed deadline between Mourinho and Benfica ends this evening, which gave both parties the right to terminate the contract for just 3 million euros, according to the clause signed between them last September.

If this condition is not activated, Mourinho's contract will remain with Benfica until the summer of 2027, meaning that any attempt to leave later will require a larger financial compensation.

The same source added that this clause was included in the contract due to the presidential elections within Benfica, where Rui Costa, the main supporter of signing Mourinho, was competing with João Noronha Lopes for the club presidency, so both parties preferred to include a clause that provides flexibility in terminating the contract if the management changes.

The current situation represents a crisis for Benfica, who realizes that Mourinho will not continue with the team next season, prompting the management to move quickly to contract a new coach, especially after finishing the league in third place, which requires the team to play in the preliminary round of the UEFA Europa League starting from July 23.

Meanwhile, the deadlines for the Real Madrid presidential elections remain unresolved, while current indications suggest that the official announcement of Mourinho's return will not occur before June next year.