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“The Board of Directors of Real Madrid, which met today, Thursday, June 11, chaired by Florentino Pérez, decided to appoint José Mourinho as head coach of the first team for the next three seasons, until June 30, 2029,” Forbes quotes a statement from the club’s press office.
At the same time, several media outlets reported that Real Madrid subsequently reached an agreement on the transfer of Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva, which could be part of a squad overhaul.
Mourinho’s Return to Madrid
Real Madrid’s board of directors has decided to appoint 63-year-old Mourinho as head coach of the first team. The contract runs through June 30, 2029. He is set to join the team on July 13, ahead of the start of preseason training.
This marks the Portuguese coach’s second stint with the Madrid club. Mourinho previously led Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013.
During that time, the team won the Spanish league title, the Spanish Cup, and the Spanish Super Cup. Under Mourinho, Real Madrid also set a number of club records for scoring in the league.
Before returning to Madrid, Mourinho worked with a number of European clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United, Inter, Roma, and Fenerbahçe.
Real Madrid is strengthening its squad ahead of the new season
Mourinho’s return coincides with potential changes to the team’s roster.
According to sports media reports, midfielder Bernardo Silva has agreed to join Real Madrid after the conclusion of his time with Manchester City. The player is expected to join the Madrid team as a free agent.
The 31-year-old Silva has played for Manchester City since 2017 and has been one of the team’s key players. With the English club, he won the Premier League and the Champions League.
During his election campaign, the club’s new-old president, Florentino Pérez, promised a high-profile $150 million transfer of a star player without revealing who it was. Later, according to unofficial sources, the club made an offer of that amount to Madrid’s Atlético for Argentine forward Julián Álvarez, but it was rejected.
Mourinho’s return demonstrates Real Madrid’s desire to once again rely on an experienced coach with significant international prestige.
The Portuguese remains one of the most decorated coaches in modern soccer. He has won the Champions League with Porto and Inter, as well as domestic championships in several countries.
