Real Madrid set to reappoint Jose Mourinho as manager in agreed deal
Jose Mourinho is set to return for a second spell as Real Madrid manager, with a deal reportedly having been agreed for months following the dismissal of Xabi Alonso.
Spanish football expert Guillem Balague claims the groundwork for the 61-year-old’s reappointment has been firmly in place since January.
Club president Florentino Perez is understood to have initiated talks with agent Jorge Mendes immediately after Alonso was sacked.
Perez seeks authority to fix ‘immature’ squad
Alonso departed the Bernabeu after just eight months in charge following a Spanish Super Cup defeat to Barcelona.
Alvaro Arbeloa took interim charge, but the Spanish giants subsequently crashed out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage against Paris St-Germain.
Their domestic campaign has also faltered heavily during a turbulent season.
Arch-rivals Barcelona secured their 29th La Liga title with a 2-0 victory over Los Blancos at the Nou Camp last weekend.
Speaking on a recent podcast, Balague detailed the timeline behind the impending managerial shift.
“Since January, things have been put in place for Jose Mourinho to become the next manager of Real Madrid, because Florentino Perez feels that he needs another alpha male to sort out that immature changing room.”
Mbappe unrest highlights deepening crisis
The returning Portuguese tactician will inherit a fractured dressing room battling severe fan discontent.
Despite scoring 41 goals in 42 appearances this season, Kylian Mbappe was greeted by a chorus of boos during Thursday’s 2-0 victory over Real Oviedo.
The French World Cup winner had just returned from a hamstring injury.
He had drawn heavy criticism from supporters for taking a holiday to Sardinia during his rehabilitation process.
Tensions escalated further when the 27-year-old sparked controversy in a post-match interview.
The prolific forward publicly claimed he has been relegated to the role of fourth-choice striker at the club.
Managing these high-profile egos will be the immediate priority for the two-time Champions League-winning coach when he officially steps back into the technical area.