Mourinho Returns to Real Madrid: Club Prepares Major Changes. José Mourinho is set to lead Real Madrid again following Florentino Pérez’s re-election. The club is preparing for a major squad overhaul and has already completed its first transfers. Challenging personnel decisions lie ahead.
José Mourinho officially returns as head coach of Real Madrid, 13 years after his departure. The decision became possible immediately after Florentino Pérez's victory in the presidential elections, which automatically cleared the way for the Portuguese coach's appointment. The new contract with Mourinho means not only a change of coach, but also the start of a major team overhaul, which management deems necessary after an unsuccessful season.
According to MARCA, Real Madrid has already agreed to pay Benfica 15 million euros for early termination of Mourinho's contract. Initially, the sum was 7 million, but due to delays caused by the elections, the club had to pay more than twice that amount. The new coach has no time to spare: the team lost valuable weeks of preparation for the next season because of the election campaign.
Mourinho's official presentation is expected in the coming days. The club has already finalized its first deals: defenders Konaté and Dumfries have signed, and Rüdiger's loan has been extended. These moves strengthen the defense, but further squad decisions lie ahead. In particular, the futures of several players remain unclear, including Fran García, Asensio, Gonçalo, Camavinga, Mastantuono, and Brahim. Departures are also expected: Carvajal and Alaba are leaving the club, and Ceballos' transfer is practically agreed.
Florentino Pérez has promised Mourinho a budget of 150 million euros to acquire a world-class star who will become the symbol of the new project. In addition, the coach will have the opportunity to propose his own candidates to strengthen the squad—just as he did during his first stint, when the team brought in Özil, Khedira, Di María, and Carvalho. The club is also considering 3–4 potential transfers, including Nico Paz, Jacobo Ramón, and Víctor Muñoz. The future of promising academy players such as Thiago Pitarch, Joan Martínez, and Diego Aguado must also be determined.
An important task for Mourinho will be not only to refresh the squad but also to solve the problems that plagued Real Madrid throughout last season. Special attention is being paid to fitness and the medical staff: over the year, the team suffered 58 injuries among 20 players, which became one of the reasons for the tension between former coach Xabi Alonso and management. To rectify the situation, the club has brought back Dr. Niko Mihic and fitness coach Antonio Pintus, who will once again lead the physical preparation work.
The club's management is also discussing a new role — similar to a 'team manager', who would act as a link between the coaching staff and the players. A similar position existed during Mourinho’s previous tenure, when Zinedine Zidane was appointed to a role that allowed him to efficiently respond to the team's requests and maintain contact between the players and the management. According to russpain.com, Mourinho is insisting on reinstating this position to improve the management of the locker room.
Mourinho will have to work with a fractured squad: last season, tensions among players reached a peak after the conflict between Valverde and Tchouaméni, which MARCA exclusively reported. Internal disputes and disagreements with the coaching staff negatively affected the atmosphere at Valdebebas. Restoring order and discipline has become one of the reasons why Pérez opted to bring back the Portuguese coach. Discussions about significant changes to the squad and coaching staff are already underway not only in Madrid: similar processes are taking place in other Spanish clubs, as recently demonstrated by the experience of Real Zaragoza with mass transfers and coaching staff changes.
For reference: Mourinho already worked with Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup in three seasons. In recent years, the club has faced staffing difficulties and management instability, leading to the need for radical changes. In Spain, Mourinho's return is seen as an attempt to restore the team's discipline and effectiveness, as well as to strengthen control over internal processes. New transfer news and decisions regarding key squad positions are expected in the coming weeks.
