Jose Mourinho says will decide future by next week amid Real Madrid talks

LISBON – Jose Mourinho has opened the door to a return to Real Madrid, saying his agent is in touch with the Spanish club, but the Benfica manager stressed no offer is on the table and he is in no rush to decide.

The 63-year-old led Benfica to an unbeaten season in the Portuguese Primeira Liga this season to finish third and has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Real coach Alvaro Arbeloa, according to Spanish and Portuguese media.

Mourinho, who won a La Liga title and Copa del Rey during his previous three-year spell at Real, is under contract at Benfica until June 2027, and he said the Portuguese club has already proposed a renewal.

“My future should be decided this week,” Mourinho told reporters on May 16.

“I have a proposal from Benfica. I don’t have a proposal from Real Madrid. At the same time, I was saying that to hide that there is nothing, we cannot do that, there is something, but not with me directly.

“I need time, I need space, I need time to make my decision and this week I think is going to be very important.”

Mourinho has also previously coached Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, and lifted the Champions League trophy twice in his career.

Arbeloa, speaking ahead of Real’s La Liga clash with Sevilla, praised Mourinho and welcomed the prospect of his return to the club, where he coached from 2010 to 2013.

“For me, as one of his players, but above all as a Real Madrid fan, I feel he’s number one and I think he is number one,” Arbeloa said on May 16.

“And I think I felt that way a month ago and I’ll continue to feel that Jose has been, is and always will be one of us, and if he's the one here next season, I’ll be very happy to see him back home.”

Arbeloa replaced Xabi Alonso in January but was unable to help Real salvage anything from a troubled campaign as they finished empty-handed for a second straight season as rivals Barcelona sealed back-to-back La Liga title.

Star striker Kylian Mbappe criticised Arbeloa after being benched in midweek for Real’s win over Real Oviedo.

Mbappe returned from a thigh injury that had kept him out of El Clasico last weekend, where Barca beat Madrid to seal their La Liga triumph.

“I’ve just bumped into him, I told him to stay calm. I understand that these kinds of things make headlines, but it’s something much more normal than you think,” Arbeloa, 43, said.

“I used to be a player, I know what they can feel in these situations – playing every day, then playing less or not at all.

“I totally understand that Kylian wasn’t happy about not playing on Thursday, and I like that.

“I wouldn’t understand it if he didn’t want to play. My relationship with him remains the same.” REUTERS