Jose Mourinho's Potential Return to Real Madrid

Jose Mourinho is on the brink of a sensational return to Real Madrid, 13 years after he first strode into the Bernabeu and set the club on edge and on fire in equal measure.

The 63-year-old is in final negotiations to become the club’s next head coach and is, at this stage, the clear favourite for the job. In truth, he is more than that: he is the only candidate Real Madrid are currently speaking to.

Perez turns back to Mourinho

This move has been building quietly in the background ever since Xabi Alonso walked away from the role earlier this year. Alvaro Arbeloa stepped in in January, a loyal servant handed a huge responsibility, but his tenure is already close to its end.

Florentino Perez did not wait long to look elsewhere. Just two days after Alonso’s departure, the Real Madrid president began exploring the possibility of bringing Mourinho back, sounding out the Portuguese coach’s camp in those first, discreet conversations. From there, the idea gathered pace.

Now, talks have reached their decisive stage. If all goes as expected, Arbeloa will make way for a man whose first spell in Madrid was anything but quiet.

Mourinho’s Benfica chapter nearing its final act

For the moment, Mourinho remains manager of Benfica. He took the job last September on a two-year contract, returning to his homeland to lead one of Portugal’s giants. Officially, he is still focused on the job in front of him.

Asked about his future only yesterday, Mourinho pushed the discussion away.

"There's a match against Estoril, and from Monday onwards I'll be able to answer questions about my future as a coach and Benfica's future," he said.

That match against Estoril Praia, on Saturday, is Benfica’s final game of the season. It now carries an extra layer of intrigue. It may be his last in charge of the club.

A familiar storm brewing in Madrid

Mourinho’s history with Real Madrid is well known. Between 2010 and 2013 he dragged the club into an era of ferocious competition with Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup. His Madrid were relentless, abrasive, and often divisive, but they were winners.

Those three years left scars and silverware in equal measure. Now, with the club once again at a crossroads and Perez searching for a commanding figure to lead the next cycle, the president has turned back to the coach who once made Madrid the most combustible show in Europe.

All that remains is for the final details to be signed off. Then the Bernabeu will brace itself for something it knows all too well: the full force of Jose Mourinho, back in white.