Jose Mourinho could cost Real Madrid €15m as coach delays Benfica release clause trigger

The veteran Portuguese tactician is widely expected to be the next man in the Real Madrid dugout, but the move has hit a temporary administrative logjam.

AccordingRTP, The primary reason for the hold-up is the onset of political drama at the Bernabeu, where Florentino Perez is facing his first contested presidential election in two decades.

While a verbal agreement for a three-year deal is reportedly in place, Perez has been forced to prioritise his campaign against challenger Enrique Riquelme. This internal power struggle has prevented the formal signing of documents, meaning Mourinho remains technically tied to his current role at Benfica while the ballot boxes remain open.

This delay has proved to be an expensive one for the Spanish giants. A specific window that allowed Real Madrid to trigger a cut-price €7 million exit fee officially expired on Tuesday, May 26. Consequently, interested parties must now pay a significantly higher sum to pry the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss away from Lisbon.

With the deadline passed, Mourinho's release clause at Benfica jumps to €15m. This development has handed Benfica president Rui Costa a much stronger hand in negotiations, as the Portuguese club can now demand the full amount or force Los Blancos into direct and difficult negotiations to find a compromise.

Despite the financial and political complications, Mourinho remains unfazed and fully committed to the move. He famously spent three seasons in the Spanish capital between 2010 and 2013, winning a record-breaking La Liga title with 100 points but failing to secure the elusive Decima for the club during that period.

He views this return 13 years later as a chance to finish what he started. The terms of the new agreement are reportedly built around his ability to restore domestic dominance; while the base contract is for three years, there are performance-based triggers that solidify his tenure should he manage to bring the league title back to the Bernabeu within his first 24 months.

The situation has left Benfica's summer planning in a state of paralysis, particularly following their failure to secure automatic group-stage qualification for the Europa League. Rui Costa is under mounting pressure from supporters to resolve the managerial standoff quickly so the club can begin their pre-season preparations in earnest.

Having reportedly been knocked back by Ruben Amorim, the Eagles are now focusing their attention on Fulham's Marco Silva. Benfica are working hard to convince Silva to leave the Premier League and return to Portugal to take over the vacancy that Mourinho will inevitably leave behind once the Madrid elections are concluded and the €15m fee is settled.