News Focus
- Real Madrid plan to appoint a new manager this summer
- Jose Mourinho has emerged as the leading candidate for the role
- Current head coach Alvaro Arbeloa faces the exit door after a two-year trophy drought
- Dressing room unrest has forced the club to seek a strong leader
- Mourinho can join for free when his Benfica contract expires
Real Madrid will search for a new manager at the end of this season. Alvaro Arbeloa will probably not receive a new contract. The team has failed to win any major silverware for two consecutive campaigns under his guidance.
The club has already started internal talks about possible replacements. Jose Mourinho has become the top target. The Portuguese coach can leave Benfica without a transfer fee when the current season finishes. This availability has alerted the Spanish giants.
Club president Florentino Perez now views Mourinho as the favourite for the job. The two men have kept a strong relationship since Mourinho’s first spell at the Bernabeu. He managed the side between 2010 and 2013.
Sources close to Diario AS report that Mourinho has made it clear he wants to return to the Spanish capital. At this stage, the club sees him as the only realistic choice to take over from Arbeloa.
The decision comes amid a crisis in the dressing room. Relations between players have broken down in recent months. The situation reached a peak this week following a physical clash between midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni and Fede Valverde. Club bosses hope Mourinho can rebuild team spirit and push the squad to better results next term.
No official agreement exists between the two parties yet. The board remains focused on the current campaign for now. However, this could shift after the weekend. Real Madrid face Barcelona in El Clasico on Sunday. Anything less than a victory would hand the La Liga title to their rivals.
It is not certain that Mourinho will return to the Bernabeu this summer. However, all signs currently suggest this move will happen. His appointment would certainly create headlines. The main question is whether he can fix the problems within the squad. This will be the key test for the club’s officials.