Real Madrid are preparing for another rebuild after ending the 2025/26 season without a single trophy.
Los Blancos finished second in La Liga behind Barcelona and also suffered a Champions League quarter-final exit against Bayern Munich.
It marked another disappointing campaign for the Spanish giants. There were also increasing reports of tension inside the dressing room under Alvaro Arbeloa.
As a result, Florentino Perez has now decided to make a major managerial change ahead of next season.
The Real Madrid president recently confirmed on social media that Jose Mourinho will become the club’s new head coach if he wins the presidential election this weekend.
The Portuguese manager is returning to the Santiago Bernabeu more than a decade after his first spell between 2010 and 2013.
Mourinho arrives after a unique season with Benfica. Although his side completed the entire league campaign unbeaten, they still finished third in the Primeira Liga because of a record 11 draws.
The 62-year-old has already been linked with several transfer targets as he prepares for his second spell in Madrid.
Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, and Enzo Fernández have all emerged as potential signings.
Meanwhile, previous comments from Mourinho about another Chelsea player have now resurfaced.
In September 2025, Mourinho openly praised Pedro Neto before Benfica faced Chelsea in the Champions League. Speaking to reporters at the time, Mourinho said (quote via football.london):
“Neto is one of the best wingers in the world. I would love to have Pedro Neto at Benfica.”
The Portuguese manager also admitted that finances prevented Benfica from making a move for the winger. However, that obstacle would not exist at Real Madrid.
Interestingly, Neto also spoke highly about Mourinho and admitted he would love the opportunity to work under him. Speaking to reporters, the Chelsea winger said:
“You cannot have a divided opinion on him (Mourinho). He is one of the biggest names in Portugal with [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Luis] Figo.
“It would be a privilege to be managed by Jose Mourinho, who wouldn’t want to be managed by him?”
With Mourinho now closing in on the Real Madrid job, speculation surrounding a potential move for Pedro Neto could continue growing in the coming weeks.
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