José Mourinho has signed a contract to return as the next head coach of Real Madrid.
The 63-year-old has agreed to a three-year deal that will run until June 2029. According to The Athletic, Mourinho will earn a gross annual salary of €12 million.
Real Madrid are expected to officially present Mourinho after the club’s presidential elections on June 7. Current president Florentino Pérez, who is widely expected to retain his position, is reported to have played a key role in bringing Mourinho back to the Santiago Bernabéu.
Pérez’s challenger in the election, Enrique Riquelme, has stated that Mourinho would not have been his preferred choice for the managerial role, according to reports from David Ornstein and Mario Cortegana.
Mourinho remains in charge of Benfica but acknowledged in mid-May that discussions had taken place between Real Madrid and his agent, Jorge Mendes. He guided Benfica through an unbeaten 2025–26 league campaign, though the club finished third, eight points behind champions FC Porto, and failed to qualify for the Champions League.
At Real Madrid, Álvaro Arbeloa succeeded Xabi Alonso as head coach in January but confirmed on May 22 that he would be leaving the club.
Los Blancos have endured two consecutive seasons without winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, or the Champions League — the first time this has happened since the 2008–09 and 2009–10 campaigns.
