Real Madrid have made Jose Mourinho their top target to replace Alvaro Arbeloa this summer with president Florentino Perez driving the plan to bring the Special One back to Spain.
Mourinho was in charge at the Bernabeu for three years from 2010 and won La Liga in record breaking fashion as well as the Copa del Rey. On both occasions he had to topple the juggernaut that was Pep Guardiola's Barcelona side.
Arbeloa was hired to replace Xabi Alonso midway through this season, but will finish the campaign trophyless, leading to inevitable change. Perez allowed general manager Jose Angel Sanchez to lead their pursuit of Alonso, but will now take a central role in appointing their next manager, reports the Athletic.
Mourinho has not been the serial winner he was when Real hired him 16 years ago, but is set to finish the season unbeaten with Benfica, even if they are set to miss out on the Portuguese title.
The 63-year-old only joined Benfica in September and is under contract until June 2027. However that agreement includes a clause in the region of €3million, allowing either party to break the deal up to 10 days after the final match of this season.
Mourinho, who masterminded a win over Real in this season's Champions League, would have to take charge of a Los Blancos team that look poised to go a second year without a trophy. Perez is banging the Mourinho drum, but other voices within the club aren't so sure about his return.
He left Madrid in acrimonious circumstances after taking on some of the club's leading figures. His comments proved divisive and there were well documented tensions with then-captain Iker Casillas, which did not endear him to some fans and the media.
This season he was critical of Vinicius Jnr, one of the team's leading lights, suggesting he incited an incident which ended with the Brazilian alleging he was racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni.
