Jose Mourinho has emerged as the frontrunner to take over at Real Madrid next season, with reports indicating that the Portuguese coach has been briefed on the turmoil inside the Santiago Bernabeu dressing room. According to Spanish newspaper AS, Mourinho has been informed about the club's disastrous campaign, which saw Xabi Alonso sacked earlier this year and Alvaro Arbeloa stepping in from the reserves. However, the season is set to end without silverware after Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Barcelona confirmed the La Liga title for their arch-rivals, leaving Madrid 14 points adrift of Hansi Flick's side.
Dressing room turmoil
The report adds that the arrival of a new manager is viewed as the 'starting point of the rebuild' following what has been described as the 'club's worst season in two decades.' Much of the drama has centred around a physical confrontation between Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde, which left Valverde hospitalised with a cranioencephalic trauma diagnosis. Both players were fined €500,000 each and ordered to apologise to each other, the club, their teammates, the coaching staff, and the fans.
Benfica's approval
Turkish journalist Yagis Sabuncuoglu reports that Mourinho would now be allowed to leave Benfica after May 17, once the Liga Portugal season concludes. Benfica are still battling Sporting CP for second place and Champions League qualification. Sabuncuoglu also suggested that Mourinho is in negotiations with Madrid, which could see Benfica earn €6 million (£5.2 million) if an agreement is reached.
Mourinho's response
Addressing the speculation during his pre-match press conference on Sunday, Mourinho said: 'There's one thing I would like to reiterate - in football it is not the professionals who are interested in leaving or not. When something happens, it is the clubs that are interested and start procedures to try to hire people. They keep talking about Real Madrid but I keep running away from it honestly.' He added: 'I didn't have any contact with the structure and, by my decision, especially now in the final weeks of the season, I won't talk to anyone. I haven't had any contact with Real Madrid. Until the game with Estoril, I won't either. Then there is a one-week window where I will be free to talk to whoever I think I should. But stories of demands, meetings, it's all speculation.'
The 'Special One' managed Madrid between 2010 and 2013, winning La Liga in record-breaking fashion in the 2011/12 season with 100 points, as well as the Copa del Rey the year before.
