Real Madrid is expected to officially announce José Mourinho’s return on Wednesday following the announcement of his exit from Benfica.
The club’s president, Florentino Pérez, had promised during his re-election campaign to bring back Mourinho, who managed the team from 2010 until 2013, and secured a victory in the recent vote among club members.
On Tuesday evening, Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes convened with Madrid’s director general José Ángel Sánchez and chief scout Juni Calafat at a hotel in the city center.
Benfica confirmed in a statement that Real Madrid has expressed its formal intention to hire Mourinho for a fee of 15 million euros, with the coach agreeing to the terms.
ESPN reported last month that Mourinho had agreed to return to Madrid as the club prepares to revamp its squad after two seasons without a major trophy.
Additionally, Madrid confirmed the departure of Álvaro Arbeloa—who took over from Xabi Alonso in January—on the same day.
Mourinho played a significant role in Pérez’s election strategy, alongside proposed signings such as Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries.
Real Madrid has also made a €150 million (£173.32m) offer for Atlético Madrid‘s star player Julián Álvarez, although the offer has been declined.
The bid for a “Galáctico” signing was another of Pérez’s campaign promises.
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Mourinho’s prior tenure at Madrid lasted from 2010 to 2013, during which he faced fierce competition from Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.
During his time, he secured one league title, a Copa del Rey, and a Spanish Supercopa while reaching the Champions League semifinals thrice.
Since leaving the Bernabéu, Mourinho has managed Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Roma, Fenerbahçe, and Benfica.
While with Benfica, he went unbeaten in the Portuguese league last season but finished third and was eliminated by Madrid in the Champions League knockout phase playoffs.
Mourinho bid farewell to Benfica in an Instagram post on Wednesday, expressing gratitude to the club’s president Rui Costa for the opportunity to coach and acknowledging the players and staff for their professionalism and dedication.
He expressed his hope that the bond he formed with the players would last, concluding with a heartfelt thank you and best wishes for their success.
Information from ESPN’s Adriana Garcia contributed to this story.