Real Madrid moves to hire José Mourinho from Benfica for €15 million; Marco Silva to take over in Lisbon
Benfica confirmed on Tuesday that Real Madrid intend to hire José Mourinho for a €15 million release clause, with the 63-year-old coach agreeing to the move. Marco Silva will replace him at the Portuguese club.
The deal is struck
Benfica announced on Tuesday that Real Madrid have formalised their intention to hire José Mourinho, paying the €15 million release clause in his contract. The Portuguese club informed the country's securities market commission (CMVM) of the agreement, stating that Mourinho had consented to the move. Real Madrid have not yet issued their own confirmation, but the announcement from Lisbon effectively ends a saga that had been building since late May.
Real Madrid CF has formally expressed its intention to hire José Mourinho for 15 million euros, and the manager has agreed to the move.
Mourinho's farewell
Mourinho took to social media on Wednesday to thank Benfica president Rui Costa, the club's staff, and his players. He described representing Benfica as "an honour and a privilege" and told his squad, "my player one day, my player forever." The message made no reference to the club's supporters. His second spell in Lisbon lasted one season, ending with an unbeaten league campaign but only a third-place finish behind champions FC Porto and Sporting.
The Pérez connection
Florentino Pérez, re-elected as Real Madrid president on Sunday with roughly 65% of the vote, had made Mourinho's return a campaign promise. His team circulated a video during the election showing the coach saying "yes" to a potential comeback. Pérez believes Mourinho "strengthened the competitiveness" of the club during his first tenure from 2010 to 2013 and laid the foundations for the six Champions League titles won in the following decade.
A mixed first spell
Mourinho's initial three seasons at the Bernabéu yielded a Copa del Rey in 2011, a La Liga title in 2012, and a Spanish Super Cup. By Real Madrid's standards, however, the period was considered underwhelming and ended amid internal power struggles. The club has just completed two seasons without a major trophy, having been eliminated in the Champions League quarter-finals by Bayern Munich and finishing behind Barcelona in the league. Álvaro Arbeloa, who took over in January after Xabi Alonso was dismissed, had his departure made official on Tuesday evening.
- Mourinho begins his head-coaching career at Benfica, lasting 11 matches.
- First spell at Real Madrid begins; wins Copa del Rey (2011), La Liga (2012), Supercopa.
- Leaves Real Madrid after three seasons marked by internal power struggles.
- Wins UEFA Europa Conference League with AS Roma, his only trophy in nine seasons.
- Returns to Benfica, replacing Bruno Lage. Finishes league season unbeaten but third.
- Florentino Pérez re-elected as Real Madrid president, having campaigned on Mourinho's return.
- Benfica confirms Real Madrid's intention to pay €15m clause; Marco Silva named successor.
Silva steps in
Benfica moved quickly to name Marco Silva as Mourinho's successor. The 48-year-old arrives from Fulham, where he had been in charge since January 2021. His contract runs for two seasons with an option extending to the 2028/29 campaign. Silva returns to Portugal after eleven years abroad, a journey that began when he left Sporting and took him to Olympiacos, Hull City, Watford, and Everton before his long stint at Craven Cottage.
What Mourinho brings
Mourinho, now 63, returns to Madrid after a peripatetic decade that included spells at Tottenham, AS Roma, and Fenerbahçe. His only trophy in the last nine seasons was the 2022 UEFA Europa Conference League with Roma. He first made his name as a head coach at Benfica in 2000, lasting just eleven matches before leaving over disagreements with the board. His full honours list includes two Champions League titles (Porto 2004, Inter Milan 2010), three Premier League crowns with Chelsea, and two Serie A titles with Inter.
