Official: José Mourinho appointed Real Madrid coach

José Mourinho is back at Real Madrid. The club announced this evening, Thursday, that the Portuguese coach, who in recent weeks had been mentioned as president Florentino Pérez’s leading candidate, has officially signed and will return for a second spell at Santiago Bernabéu. As reported in recent weeks, it was expected that “The Special One” would replace Álvaro Arbeloa after another disappointing season, the second in a row in which Real Madrid failed to win major trophies. Now, after Pérez’s victory in the Real presidential election, his promise has been fulfilled and the Portuguese has returned to the club, 13 years after he left it for the last time.

In recent weeks it was reported that Mourinho’s agent, Jorge Mendes, had been working with Real Madrid in an effort to advance the deal. The Portuguese coach, who managed Real between 2010 and 2013, set two clear conditions before agreeing to return, “full control” over sporting matters and significant involvement in transfers. In other words, Mourinho is demanding broader influence over squad building and decision making at the club.

The 63-year-old Mourinho coached Benfica last season, finishing the Portuguese league unbeaten with them, but despite that he did not win any title. According to the published details, the agreement between the sides has been closed for several weeks, and now only the formal process remains to be completed.

To release the coach from his Benfica contract, Real Madrid will pay 15 million euros, an amount equal to his annual gross salary in Portugal. The original release clause, set at seven million euros, expired at the end of May, and the delay caused by the election allowed Benfica to insist on higher compensation.

In his first three-year spell at Real Madrid, Mourinho led the team to the Spanish league title in 2012, the Copa del Rey in 2011 and the Spanish Super Cup in 2012. However, he never managed to lead the Blancos to Champions League glory, despite three consecutive semifinal appearances.