Benfica confirm Jose Mourinho approach as Florentino Perez declares intent to trigger €15m release clause

Benfica have announced in a formal statement sent to the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM) that they have been contacted regarding the availability of Mourinho. The approach has come from the camp of Florentino Perez, who is currently seeking re-election as the president of Madrid.

The 'Special One', who is currently under contract with the Eagles, has emerged as the primary target for Perez as he battles Enrique Riquelme for the leadership of the Spanish giants. The elections are scheduled to take place this coming Sunday and a victory for the incumbent president would set the wheels in motion for a sensational return to Madrid for Mourinho.

Benfica have made it clear that they will not let their manager leave without significant compensation. According to the club's official communication, any deal to take Mourinho back to La Liga will require the activation of a specific release clause in his current contract.

The fee required to secure his services is set at €15 million. This figure precisely matches the salary that the veteran coach would be entitled to during the final year of his existing deal at the Estadio da Luz.

Mourinho has emerged as Perez’s ultimate trump card to counter the ambitious promises of his presidential rival, Enrique Riquelme, who has pledged to sign Manchester City’s duo, Erling Haaland and Rodri, should he win the election.

The sudden revelation serves as a massive tactical chess move by Perez as he seeks to secure another term at the helm of Real Madrid. By locking in a verbal agreement with Mourinho – and publicly backing it with the financial commitment to pay a premium release clause – Perez has presented club members with a definitive, interesting-profile sporting project.

Perez caused a stir on Wedesday evening when his campaign's social media account posted a video of Mourinho appearing to say yes to a return to the hot seat. However, the coach had to inform Benfica that his appearance was generated by AI, and that he had made no such recordings. Regardless, Perez's campaign followed up with another video after Benfica's announcement on Thursday that was focused entirely on Mourinho coming back.

Mourinho previously managed Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, a period defined by an intense rivalry with Pep Guardiola's Barcelona, where he successfully broke Barcelona's dominance by winning a historic La Liga title with a record-breaking 100 points, alongside capturing the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de Espana. His potential return would signal a major shift in the sporting project at the Bernabeu, where Perez is looking for a proven winner to restore order and lead the club into its next era.

The Portuguese tactician's discipline is now seen as the desperately needed antidote for a club in turmoil. Madrid are coming off a disastrous trophyless season that left the fans in absolute fury, with public anger heavily directed at the team's top stars following a series of bitter conflicts and fractures that destroyed the harmony inside the dressing room.