Jose Mourinho set for advanced talks with Florentino Perez over Real Madrid deal

AlavésAthletic ClubAtlético MadridBarcelonaCelta de VigoElcheEspanyolGetafeGironaLevanteMallorcaOsasunaRayo VallecanoReal BetisReal MadridReal OviedoReal SociedadSevillaValenciaVillarrealPodcastsCopa del ReyJose Mourinho set for advanced talks with Florentino Perez over Real Madrid dealJose Mourinho previously coached Madrid between 2010 and 2013 Filipe Amorim / AFP via Getty Images Share article6Jose Mourinho is set to meet Real Madrid president Florentino Perez next week with an expectation he will complete a deal to become the club’s new head coach. Sources briefed on the situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, indicated Mourinho has already conveyed to some people at Benfica that he is leaving. The Portuguese club are aware of the situation and are considering options to replace Mourinho in case he departs, including Fulham head coach Marco Silva and former Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim. The former is considered a more likely candidate. Mourinho had been offered an extension to his Benfica contract, but the expectation is he will reject this. Asked about his contract extension during a press conference on Friday, the 63-year-old said he “did not want to see or analyse it” until Sunday, when Benfica face Estoril in the final match of the Portuguese league season. Mourinho’s current deal with Benfica expires next year, but it has a release clause in the region of €3million (£2.6m; $3.5m) net, €6m gross, which can be activated within 10 days of the end of their season. The Athletic reported last week that Madrid were in talks over the possibility of appointing Mourinho as their next head coach, with the Portuguese the favoured candidate of club president Perez to replace Alvaro Arbeloa. Multiple sources have told The Athletic that the decision over who will become Madrid’s next coach is being driven by Perez, in contrast to that which saw Xabi Alonso appointed at the end of last season. That process was led by Madrid’s general manager Jose Angel Sanchez, and then approved by Perez. On May 12, Perez called an impromptu press conference to announce new elections for the club presidency, following a turbulent few weeks at the club, which saw Madrid again miss out on the La Liga title to Barcelona with defeat in El Clasico, while Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni were both fined after a training-ground fight. Unlike at Barcelona, Madrid’s statutes do not require Perez to stand down from his position while an election is prepared, meaning there is no technical reason stopping the club from continuing with key business off the pitch. The club president was asked about Mourinho during the press conference, replying: “I didn’t think anyone would ask me about him. We’re not at that stage now. Right now, there’s a priority issue that I want to resolve.” United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino and Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri are other candidates who have been considered by Madrid. France coach Didier Deschamps was also mentioned internally as a possible option, while ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was admired. Madrid have gone two seasons without winning a major trophy — the first time that has happened since 2009-10, when Mourinho was appointed for his first spell in charge. Alonso’s tenure as head coach lasted just seven months before he was sacked in January and succeeded by Arbeloa on a short-term basis, stepping up from his role as head coach of Real Madrid Castilla, the club’s reserve team. Mourinho won three domestic trophies with Madrid between 2010 and 2013, including the 2011-12 La Liga title with a record points total. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms