Jose Mourinho has admitted that he has had contact with Real Madrid, but has warned that he must first learn what the royal club’s leaders “expect from me” before saying “yes” to a sensational return.
The “Special One” has been mentioned as one of the main candidates to take over at Real Madrid after it became clear that the current coach has lost the dressing room. President Florentino Perez is reportedly considering putting his trust in the coach he has always admired once again.
Although recent reports have claimed that a deal has already been reached, Mourinho has insisted that some important talks still need to take place.
After the final match of the season against Benfica – which confirmed an unbeaten league campaign, but with a disappointing third-place finish – Mourinho said he is ready to reject Real Madrid if expectations and ideas do not match.
“It depends on the offer, on what they expect from me. We’re not talking about the amount of money, but about what they expect from me, whether I’m capable of meeting the expectations and adapting to the job profile they’ve defined.”
The Portuguese coach, known for his communication with the media, has avoided comments about Real Madrid during the course of the season, but after the end of the championship he hinted that from Monday he will speak more openly.
“Starting Monday, I will be able to talk about my future.”
Mourinho stressed that he has not yet spoken directly to Florentino Perez or any club representative, but admitted that contacts exist through his agent, Jorge Mendes.
“It is also true that I have not spoken to Florentino or anyone from the organisation. All of this is true. But I am not stupid… there are contacts between the club and Jorge (Mendes). And I think those contacts will turn into contacts with me over the next week,” he added.
Mourinho has one year left on his contract with Benfica, and the Portuguese club are keen to extend it. However, the current deal gives any rival club the option to sign the coach for a relatively low fee of around $3.5 million (roughly €3 million).
According to reports, this clause has a deadline and is expected to expire on Tuesday, May 26, 10 days after Benfica’s last match of the season.
Meanwhile, Mourinho has described this period as a time of reflection for him.
“From the moment we entered this final phase, I decided that I didn’t want to listen to anyone, that I wanted to be isolated in my workspace,” he concluded.
