Real Madrid are finally moving closer towards appointing their next manager after weeks of uncertainty at the Bernabeu.
The Spanish giants have considered several high-profile candidates since Xabi Alonso’s departure earlier this year, but one name has now surged ahead of everybody else.
Club president Florentino Perez reportedly wants an experienced figure capable of immediately restoring authority inside the dressing room after a chaotic season.
Negotiations have now reached an advanced stage, and reports suggest only one manager currently remains in active talks with the club.
According to the BBC, Jose Mourinho is closing in on a sensational return to Real Madrid.
The Portuguese manager has reportedly become the club’s clear first choice to replace Alvaro Arbeloa.
Perez allegedly started considering Mourinho’s return only days after Alonso left the club earlier this year.
Initial talks then reportedly took place with representatives of the former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham manager.
Mourinho currently manages Benfica after taking charge on a two-year deal last September.
Despite Benfica sitting third in the league table, Mourinho’s side remain unbeaten domestically.
The 63-year-old refused to directly discuss his future earlier this week before Benfica’s final match of the season. Mourinho said:
“There’s a match against Estoril, and from Monday onwards I’ll be able to answer questions about my future.”
The Portuguese coach previously managed Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013 during one of the club’s most intense modern eras.
During that spell, Mourinho won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.
He also played a major role in rebuilding Real Madrid’s mentality during the peak years of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona dominance.
Now, more than a decade after leaving the Bernabeu, Mourinho appears increasingly close to a dramatic return to the Spanish capital.
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