One final obstacle that could stop Mourinho signing with Real Madrid

Mourinho’s future as Real Madrid coach has been settled and only the official announcement remains. The verbal agreement between the Portuguese manager and his agent, Jorge Mendes, is complete on the key points – the length of the contract and salary terms. All that is left is the signing.

Once Benfica’s season ended, and as AS previously reported, Mourinho met with Benfica president Rui Costa on Monday. During that meeting, according to information obtained by this newspaper, Mourinho informed Rui Costa that he would not accept the renewal offer currently on the table. The proposal would have guaranteed him two more years in Lisbon along with a salary increase.

Even so, the Portuguese coach’s contract with Madrid has not yet been signed because the club is waiting for Florentino Pérez to officially be reappointed president on Sunday, May 24. Mourinho still has one year remaining on his contract with Benfica, meaning he is protected in the unlikely event that his move to Madrid falls through – such as if Enrique Riquelme were to enter the election and somehow win. Should that happen, Mourinho would still have a year left in Lisbon and would not be left stranded.

The main terms of Mourinho’s agreement with Real Madrid have already been finalized, with only minor details still to be resolved in the coming hours. The Portuguese coach will sign a two-year deal, with the possibility of an automatic one-year extension if Madrid wins LaLiga under his management.

When will Mourinho take over at Real Madrid?

Mourinho is now simply waiting for the formal proposal – the actual contract – to arrive so he can sign it. His plan is to remain in Lisbon until Thursday before traveling to London, where he keeps his residence and where his family lives, to rest for a few days. Toward the end of next week or the beginning of the following one, if everything proceeds as expected, he will travel to Madrid to sign his new deal.

The expectation is that he will already be working on his new Real Madrid project from the beginning of June with full authority. The coach has not yet informed his backroom staff about his move to Madrid, although he intends to take them with him for this new spell at the club.

Clear timeline for Mourinho announcement

In any case, the timetable regarding the official announcement is quite clear and is tied to the ongoing presidential election process at Real Madrid. The 10-day window for candidates to submit their nominations ends on Saturday, May 23. Therefore, Florentino Pérez will be proclaimed president on Sunday, May 24, and the announcement is expected to follow immediately after – most likely on Monday. The clause allowing Mourinho to leave Benfica with only a minimal penalty expires on May 26.

In reality, the current board is authorized under the club’s statutes to make signings and take any kind of decision until the new president officially takes office. However, it would make little sense for the Portuguese coach’s signing to be completed before the deadline closes, because if another surprise candidate were to emerge and win, that new president would have to begin his tenure with a manager he had not chosen.

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