Mourinho reveals when he will decide future amid Real Madrid rumours

Benfica manager José Mourinho has said that he will delay making a definitive decision regarding his managerial future until the conclusion of the domestic season, directly addressing the reports linking him with a sensational return to Real Madrid. 

Speaking to the press ahead of Benfica's final Primeira Liga matchday, the 63-year-old tactician explicitly shut down immediate contract discussions. 

Responding to widespread reports that the Lisbon club had prepared a formal renewal offer, Mourinho clarified: "They never told me they had an offer to show me. Not the president, nor any important person in the organisation. But if they had told me, I would have answered exactly the same way." 

Emphasising that "Benfica is much bigger than me" and assuring fans there is no need to worry if he ultimately departs, Mourinho confirmed that all negotiations are paused until the campaign ends, declaring, "Next week will be important for me, for my future, and also for Benfica... we have this period of a few days to see what happens and make a decision."

Mourinho's delay perfectly aligns with mounting reports indicating that the Portuguese manager has already reached a broad agreement on personal terms to replace Álvaro Arbeloa in the Spanish capital.

 Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez is reportedly aggressively spearheading the operation and is fully prepared to activate the €3 million (£2.6 million) release clause embedded in Mourinho's current contract. 

Pérez views Mourinho as an authoritative figure capable of fixing a severely fractured dressing room that has been derailed by factions and conflicts. 

Desperate to reinstate a winning mentality after Real Madrid suffered the institutional embarrassment of enduring two consecutive trophyless campaigns, the boardroom believes Mourinho is uniquely equipped to restore order and discipline at the Santiago Bernabéu.