Jose Mourinho has reportedly been lined up to make a stunning return to Real Madrid this summer.
According to the Athletic, Mourinho is the favoured choice of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to replace Alvaro Arbeloa.
Mourinho previously managed Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, leading the club to one LaLiga title, a Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.
His time at the club provided numerous hard-fought battles with rivals Barcelona, who were led by Pep Guardiola.
The report claims that Perez has taken charge of Real Madrid’s search for a new manager, after president had approved general manager Jose Angel Sanchez’s choice of Xabi Alonso last year.
Alonso was sacked after just eight months, with Arbeloa then promoted from his role with Real Madrid’s B-team.
Jose Mourinho is reportedly Florentino Perez’s preference to become Real Madrid manager
Mourinho previously coached Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, with his side facing off against Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona for major honours
Arbeloa has overseen 14 wins, two draws and seven defeats to date, with Real Madrid set for a second successive trophyless season after their Champions League exit to Bayern Munich and having fallen off the pace in LaLiga.
Mourinho is currently in charge of Benfica, having returned to the Portuguese giants after 25 years back in September.
Benfica are currently unbeaten in the league since Mourinho’s return, but his side are seven points adrift of leaders Porto.
Daily Mail Sport understands Benfica are yet to have any contact from Real Madrid over an approach for Mourinho.
Reports have claimed Real Madrid would have to pay £2.6million to activate a release clause in Mourinho’s Benfica contract, which runs until the summer of 2027.
Mourinho and Perez are understood to have had a strong relationship, with the Real Madrid president previously having admitted the Portuguese coach had helped to raise the level at the club, contributing to an era of dominance in the Champions League despite leaving the club.
Suggestions Mourinho could return emerged early this season after Alonso’s dismissal, coupled with a series of matches between Benfica and Real Madrid.
Mourinho’s side memorably beat Real Madrid 4-2 in the final game of the league phase of the Champions League, with goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin’s 98th minute goal seeing the Portuguese team earn a place in the play-offs.
Mourinho caused controversy earlier this year for his response to Vinicius Jr’s allegation that he had been racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni in their Champions League match
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The 63-year-old would be tasked with bringing silverware back to Real Madrid if appointed
The two sides met again in the last-16, with the first leg overshadowed by the allegation that Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni had racially abused Vinicius Jr.
Vinicius Jr accused Prestianni of racially abusing him while covering his mouth with his shirt moments after he put the visitors in the lead in Lisbon.
The Brazilian alerted referee Francois Letexier of the incident, claiming that the 20-year-old had called him a ‘monkey’. His team-mate, Kylian Mbappe, who was in close vicinity of the exchange, corroborated his claim.
Prestianni was handed a provisional one-match ban by UEFA for the reverse fixture.
Mourinho caused further controversy by initially suggesting that Vinicius Jr may have ‘incited’ the crowd with his celebration after scoring, though he didn’t comment on his interaction with Prestianni. He later vowed that if Prestianni was found to have been racist he would be kicked out of the club.
The Portuguese manager said: ‘If my player did not respect these principles, which are mine and Benfica’s as well, then that player’s career with a coach named Jose Mourinho and at a club named Benfica will come to an end.
‘I am not a scholar, but I am not ignorant either. The presumption of innocence is a human right, isn’t it?
‘I stand by my opinion. If the player is indeed guilty, I will never look at him the way I looked at him before, and with me, it’s over. But I have to put many “ifs” in front of it.’
Last week, Prestianni was given a six-game suspension for homophobic conduct towards Vinicius Jr.
Three of these matches are subject to ‘a probationary period of two years’ and includes the one-match provisional suspension already served by Prestianni. UEFA have also requested FIFA to extend the suspension ‘worldwide’.
In the days that followed the incident, Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni told the media that the Benfica midfielder claimed he did not aim a racist slur at Vinicius Jr, but made a homophobic remark instead.
Mourinho notably had a high-profile falling out with Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas during his time as manager
Casillas reacted to reports of Mourinho’s potential return with three popcorn emojis
Vinicius Jr’s future at Real Madrid is currently uncertain, with the Brazilian set to enter the final year of his contract which expires in the summer of 2027.
Mourinho’s three-year spell as Real Madrid boss had included a high-profile falling out with the club’s legendary goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
The long-serving shot-stopper was dropped in favour of Diego Lopez, before Mourinho was ousted in 2013.
Casillas has since suggested Mourinho’s off-field antics, including poking former Barcelona boss Tito Vilanova in the eye, proved a key factor in their clash.
He suggested his efforts to smooth over the situation with his Spanish international team-mates at Barcelona had contributed to Mourinho dropping him from the team.
Casillas, who previously revealed Mourinho was among the first to call him after he suffered a heart attack in 2019, shared several popcorn emojis on social media after reports his former boss could be set for a return to Real Madrid.