Jose Mourinho to Real Madrid is now a done deal.
With the Spanish titans in crisis on and off the pitch, the 63-year-old has verbally agreed a two-year contract that will see him take charge of the team for a second time.
There have been murmers for some time that Mourinho will be heading back to the Bernabeu. 13 years after his first exit from the club, those dreams have now become a reality.
To some, the veteran is yesterday’s man. Having once dominated with Europe’s elite, he’s spent the last few years managing Roma, Fenerbahce and Benifica.
But Real are turning to Mourinho in the hope that he can summon the magic of old, topple Barcelona and restore the club to the summit of Spanish football.
GB News now takes a look at why the club have turned to a familiar face in a desperate attempt to turn the tide.
1) Restoring dressing room authority
Jose Mourinho has verbally agreed a remarkable return to Real Madrid
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Real’s dressing room has fractured under Alvaro Arbeloa this season due to public clashes, ego conflicts, and an absence of discipline.
The club hierarchy have identified a severe lack of psychological grit and tactical accountability, resulting in an unstable squad dynamic.
Mourinho has been chosen specifically for his iron-fisted leadership style and uncompromising reputation for demanding strict compliance.
His imposing charisma provides the exact profile needed to subdue internal friction, command instant respect from elite superstars and rebuild emotional focus.
With Real players acting up under both Xabi Alonso and Arbeloa this term, fireworks are to be expected.
2) Florentino Perez remains a big admirer
Jose Mourinho has long had a positive relationship with Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez | GETTY
Florentino Perez has bypassed standard club directors to orchestrate this hiring completely on his own.
The pair maintained strong mutual admiration long after Mourinho’s initial 2013 departure, with return rumours arising during the Portuguese’s spells with Manchester United and Tottenham.
Perez views Mourinho as a unique figure possessing the requisite backbone to withstand intense media scrutiny while operating under immense pressure.
By granting Mourinho a personal line to the presidency, the club eliminates bureaucratic interference.
This alignment ensures that strategic planning remains unified, shielding the manager from backroom politics and guaranteeing total structural backing for sweeping administrative decisions.
3) Ruthlessness to grant big exits
Five things to know about Jose Mourinho | GETTY/GB NEWS
To facilitate an aggressive rebuild, Mourinho demanded absolute sporting independence before accepting a two-year deal.
Real require a ruthless purge of high-profile squad members deemed surplus to requirements.
Mourinho’s terms explicitly guarantee total control over selection and training schedules, allowing him to marginalise previously untouchable starters without board intervention.
Forcing immediate exits for players Dani Ceballos, and potentially Kylian Mbappe, creates space for new profiles.
Not one for sentiment, his ruthless approach is needed for Real to become the force of old.
4) Breaking Barcelona
Barcelona recently beat Real Madrid to win the La Liga title for the second season in a row | GETTY
Following consecutive years without a major domestic trophy, Real suffered immense embarrassment as Barcelona clinched the La Liga title earlier this month.
Compounding this distress is Hansi Flick’s tactical superiority, which repeatedly dismantled previous Madrid coaches.
Perez has turned to Mourinho because the Portuguese icon excels at building ironclad defensive units capable of neutralizing free-flowing attacking systems.
Mourinho provides a combative mentality tailored for high-stakes rivalries, offering the strategic pragmatism required to break Barcelona’s current domestic stranglehold and handle the intense pressure of El Clásico fixtures next season.
5) Mourinho is a man on the rise once more
Jose Mourinho is a manager on the rise once more as Real Madrid move looms
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Mourinho arrives with renewed elite credentials after leading Benfica through an incredible, unbeaten domestic league campaign.
Crucially, his contract in Lisbon contained an explicit financial break clause, enabling Real to secure his services swiftly for a minor compensation fee of under €6million.
This brief contractual window allowed the club to complete negotiations directly after the season concluded.
By executing the transition rapidly, Madrid can install Mourinho immediately, ensuring he takes absolute control over pre-season planning and transfer strategies before the summer market officially opens.
