Mourinho agrees two-year Benfica deal, returns to former club
The Portuguese coach, a free agent since August, is reported to be set to take charge of Benfica in a two-year contract, reuniting with the club that launched his managerial career.
Mourinho is poised to return to Benfica as manager after reports that he has agreed a two-year contract with the Lisbon club. The 62-year-old has been a free agent since Fenerbahce dismissed him in August after failing to reach the Champions League, and he arrived in Portugal on Wednesday night ahead of formal talks.
The reports, attributed to Sky Sports, say Mourinho will take a two-year deal with Benfica, the club that gave him his first senior managerial job in 2000. His first Benfica spell lasted 10 games before a leadership change prompted his exit; he later built a hall of fame career at Porto, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Inter Milan. Benfica had sacked Bruno Lage following their Champions League defeat by Qarabag, and officials said a new coach would be on the bench for this weekend's game against Vila das Aves. Club president Rui Costa said Lage would step down and that Benfica would not discuss other candidates while the search continues. Benfica currently sit sixth in the Primeira Liga, five points off leaders Porto.
The potential appointment would come amid a crowded schedule. Benfica are preparing for a Champions League match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge later this month, a test that underlines the need for quick integration of a new coach.
Mourinho arrived in Portugal with a Benfica scarf visible, a sign of the club's interest and the likelihood of a swift transition. The Portuguese coach has built a global reputation through spells at Porto, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, and his return to Benfica would bring a high profile back to Lisbon, alongside a team that has pursued a balance of domestic success and European progression.
Should the deal be completed, the move would mark a rare full circle for a manager who began his top level career with Benfica more than two decades ago. It would place Mourinho in charge of a club with a storied history and a demand to reclaim top form in the league and in Europe, as Benfica seeks to reassert itself in a competitive domestic league and in continental competition.