Real Madrid are reportedly close to completing a major managerial arrangement, with the club allegedly having a deal already agreed in relation to José Mourinho’s future. According to the report, the agreement involves Benfica and is said to have been facilitated by Jorge Mendes, the influential football agent who is closely associated with Mourinho’s career moves.
The key detail in the claim is that Real Madrid are not expected to pay a release clause. The report states that any relevant release clause has already expired, which would mean Real Madrid would not need to meet that financial condition in order to proceed. This distinction matters because it changes the nature of the negotiation: instead of triggering an active clause, the deal is presented as already secured through the parties involved.
The story further suggests that Real Madrid’s timing for the announcement would depend on the outcome of the club’s presidential election. Specifically, Mourinho is described as set to be announced after Florentino Pérez wins those elections. This indicates that while the underlying agreement is already in place, the public communication and official confirmation may be postponed until Pérez has secured another term.
In other words, the report frames the situation as a two-step process. First, the football management side—meaning the negotiations and required arrangements connected to Mourinho and Benfica—is portrayed as having been settled behind the scenes. Second, the club’s announcement would then follow at a moment aligned with the political leadership transition at the top of the organization.
The mention of Mendes is also central to the narrative. Jorge Mendes is widely known for orchestrating deals and for using his network across clubs and player/coach contracts. Here, he is presented as the person who helped structure the arrangement between Real Madrid and Benfica, making it possible for the club to move toward Mourinho without paying the alleged release-clause amount. The report implies Mendes’s role as a key facilitator, rather than a passive intermediary, suggesting the negotiations were advanced sufficiently to leave Madrid in a strong position.
Benfica’s involvement is important because it suggests that Mourinho’s current contractual or future rights are connected to the Portuguese club in some way. Even though Mourinho is not currently framed as being free to move without conditions, the story implies those conditions are no longer enforceable in the same way because the release clause has expired. That would give Real Madrid leverage and reduce the cost and complexity of securing his services.
Despite the confidence in the report, the story also emphasizes that the announcement is not immediate. Waiting for Pérez to win the elections implies Real Madrid may want to ensure that the appointment is linked to the administration that will oversee football operations. Such timing is often politically and administratively significant, since presidential leadership usually dictates long-term direction, including coaching appointments.
The report’s framing also hints at continuity of strategic planning. By having the deal already arranged, Real Madrid could avoid the uncertainty that comes with waiting for negotiations after election results. It suggests the club’s leadership—especially under Pérez—may aim to move quickly once the election concludes, presenting an early signal of the new season’s plan.
Overall, the core claim is straightforward: Real Madrid already have a deal in place for Mourinho via Benfica and Jorge Mendes, they will not pay an expired release clause, and the official announcement is expected only after Pérez wins the upcoming presidential election. While details like contract length, exact payment terms (if any beyond release clause considerations), and formal contract dates are not provided in the snippet, the report presents a confident picture of where negotiations stand and how the club plans to handle the timing.
Source: diarioas
Madrid Xtra: 🚨 BREAKING: Real Madrid already have a DEAL in place with Benfica for Mourinho thanks to Jorge Mendes. They will NOT pay the release clause (expired). He will be announced after Florentino Pérez wins the elections. @diarioas. #breaking
— @MadridXtra May 1, 2026
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