Benfica Officially Confirm Real Madrid Will Pay Mourinho’s €15M Release Clause: The Special One Returns to the Bernabeu

It’s Official: Benfica Confirm Real Madrid Will Pay €15M for Mourinho — The Special One Is Going Home

Football has seen some blockbuster transfers, some jaw-dropping contract sagas — but the return of José Mourinho to Real Madrid in 2026 might just be the most dramatic, most expensive, most politically entangled managerial appointment in the history of the sport. And this week, it became very, very real.

Benfica Make It Official

After Florentino Perez himself confirmed on Wednesday that José Mourinho is his chosen manager to lead Real Madrid next season, SL Benfica issued an official statement confirming that Real Madrid will pay the 63-year-old manager’s €15 million release clause — once Perez wins the upcoming presidential elections.

Benfica’s official statement read: “If Florentino Perez wins the elections, Real Madrid will pay the penalty clause on José Mourinho’s contract, amounting to €15 million.” Short, sharp, and seismic.

How a €3M Deal Became a €15M Saga — The Full Timeline

The Political Chaos That Cost Madrid Millions

A release clause in Mourinho’s Benfica deal allowed clubs to secure his services for approximately €6 million for 10 working days after the end of the Portuguese season. That clause expired on May 29, leaving Madrid facing a potential compensation package worth up to €15 million — with the increased cost stemming directly from delays surrounding the club’s presidential election process.

The primary reason for the hold-up was the onset of political drama at the Bernabéu, where Florentino Perez faced his first contested presidential election in two decades. While a verbal agreement for a three-year deal was reportedly in place, Perez was forced to prioritise his campaign against challenger Enrique Riquelme — preventing the formal signing of documents and allowing Mourinho’s cheaper clause to expire.

The Election That Decides Everything

The Real Madrid presidential elections will take place this Sunday, June 7, with Perez going up against Enrique Riquelme, who has other plans for the club. Perez, though, is seen as the clear favourite, with widespread support from club legends backing the incumbent president.

Despite the election uncertainty, Mourinho has already signed a contract until 2029 with Real Madrid — and is keen to return to the Santiago Bernabéu, having reportedly turned down a new contract offer from Benfica to make this happen.

What Mourinho Brings Back to the Bernabéu

Mourinho spent three high-profile seasons at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de España. He is expected to succeed Alvaro Arbeloa and is already identifying areas for improvement — specifically focusing on the team’s fitness and rotation policies to combat a recent plague of injuries.

For the official Real Madrid presidential election details and club updates, visit Real Madrid’s official website and Benfica’s official club site.

What began as a straightforward €3 million release clause activation has spiralled into a €15 million, election-dependent, politically charged footballing soap opera — and it’s not even over yet. Once Perez wins on Sunday, the most iconic manager in Real Madrid’s modern history walks back through the Bernabéu gates. The Special One is coming home. And Madrid will never be the same again. 👔⚽

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