Marca reported this week that all roads at Real Madrid lead to Mourinho, with president Florentino Pérez understood to have made the former Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid manager his preferred choice to succeed Álvaro Arbeloa. David Ornstein of The Athletic confirmed Real Madrid have held talks over the appointment, with agent Jorge Mendes working on Mourinho's behalf.
Mourinho's Benfica contract runs until June 2027 but contains a clause allowing him to leave within ten days of the end of their season for a release fee of around €3million — an affordable sum for Real Madrid. Benfica president Rui Costa has made repeated attempts to convince Mourinho to stay and extend his project at Estádio da Luz. Those efforts have stalled.
Portuguese newspaper A Bola ran the headline "A departure that is becoming increasingly Real" on Friday, reflecting the growing acceptance within Lisbon that Mourinho will leave. The club does not want to be caught unprepared".
Their primary target to fill the vacancy is Silva, 48, who has spent five seasons building Fulham into a consistent Premier League contender since taking charge at Craven Cottage in 2021. His contract at Fulham expires this summer and both parties have yet to agree an extension. Silva's attacking, structured style of play and familiarity with Portuguese football make him an attractive fit for Rui Costa's vision at Da Luz.
The complication is that Silva is also wanted elsewhere. Chelsea, currently seeking a permanent manager after dismissing Liam Rosenior, have identified him as a serious candidate. Fulham themselves want to retain him. With Fulham pushing for European football in the final weeks of the season, Silva's market value is only rising.
Real Madrid must move first. Once La Liga's mathematics confirm their title hopes are finished, Pérez is expected to formalise the approach for Mourinho. Everything that follows — in Lisbon and in London — flows from that decision.