According to a report by The Sun, Real Madrid have identified Jose Mourinho as the man to solve their problems. However, the La Liga heavyweights face a major stumbling block in the form of their former manager’s severance package at Manchester United, who are due to pay him £15 million.
Jose Mourinho is one of the most successful managers of all time, having enjoyed considerable amount of success at just about every club he has managed. But, the Portuguese manager finds himself at his lowest ebb, following his departure from Manchester United, who sacked him last month.
Now out of work, Mourinho has been quite highly sought-after, with as many as four clubs making an offer to him, most prominently being Benfica. The former Real Madrid manager though, has turned down each of the clubs, with the Benfica job in particular being undesirable due to his history with FC Porto.
But, Mourinho could indeed be primed for a quick return to club football management, with one of his former clubs showing an interest in him. Real Madrid are keen on making the 55-year-old their next manager, with Santiago Solari likely to be walking on a tightrope if results do not improve.
Los Blancos have failed to win either of their first two games in 2019, and are now trailing bitter rivals Barcelona by 10 points in La Liga. And, if things fail to improve, it is likely that Solari could part ways with Real Madrid, judging by Florentino Perez’s track record with underperforming managers – Julen Lopetegui was sacked just three months into joining the club.
However, Real Madrid will have to play the waiting game before they manage to secure the services of Mourinho, who is due to receive a £15 million payout from Manchester United following his sacking. But, they have initiated talks with his representatives ahead of what could be a possible move in the summer, depending on Solari’s performance for the rest of the season.
Florentino Perez is known to be on good terms with Mourinho, despite his departure from the Bernabeu in 2013. And, while his appointment might not go down well with some of the players, the Real Madrid president is of the opinion that the Portuguese is the right man to revive the club’s fortunes.
For now, Santiago Solari seems to have his future up in the air, with Real Madrid in talks with former manager Jose Mourinho. It now remains to be seen whether the Argentine can keep his job, or if the report indeed turns out to be true, with Mourinho replacing him at the helm at the Bernabeu.