Jose Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid is considered almost certain, with the club having already reached an agreement with the Portuguese coach to replace Alvaro Arbeloa.
However, plans to make it official at the Santiago Bernabeu, 13 years after the first adventure, have been temporarily postponed.
Within the Madrid club, there is a belief that Mourinho is the ideal man to return the team to the top of European football after two difficult seasons.
President Florentino Perez had moved quickly to secure his signature once it became clear that Arbeloa would not continue on the bench.
According to Portuguese outlet Record , quoted by Sport , the plan was for Mourinho to be officially presented on Monday. But that has now been called into question after the confirmation of Real Madrid’s presidential election.
Perez will face Enrique Riquelme in the race for the presidency, which has caused the deal with Mourinho to be suspended for the time being.
The main reason is related to the release clause in Mourinho’s contract with Benfica, which expires on Monday and is worth 6 million euros.
If it is not activated before Tuesday, the Portuguese club will have the right to demand a higher amount, significantly complicating the operation for “Los Blancos”.
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The report also points out that Mourinho’s return depends heavily on Perez’s victory in the elections. The current president has been the main promoter of this operation, while a possible victory for Riquelme could completely change the situation.
If Riquelme takes over the club, he is expected to have other ideas about the coaching position and it is not clear whether he would support the return of “The Special One” to Madrid.
For now, Real Madrid are forced to wait before finalizing the deal with Mourinho, while all parties hope that the situation will be resolved as soon as possible.
