Discussions underway for Jose Mourinho to take over Benfica following Bruno Lage's departure

Portuguese Football Club Faces Off Against Mourinho's Previous Team, Chelsea, This Month

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2025 September 19 . 6:02 PM

2 min read

Discussion ongoing for the possible hiring of José Mourinho by Benfica, following the club's... — Discussion ongoing for the possible hiring of José Mourinho by Benfica, following the club's decision to terminate Bruno Lage's tenure.

Discussions underway for Jose Mourinho to take over Benfica following Bruno Lage's departure

Jose Mourinho's potential return to Benfica is gaining momentum, with negotiations between the Portuguese coach and the club nearing completion. Reports suggest that the agreement could be finalised on Wednesday, 17th September, 2025.

The move comes after Benfica parted ways with Bruno Lage following a disappointing home loss against Qarabag in the Champions League, squandering a 2-0 lead. Mourinho, who left Fenerbahce last month, has reportedly given his consent to return to Benfica.

Mourinho's time at Fenerbahce ended on an unhappy note, and his subsequent jobs have been underwhelming, despite winning the Europa League with Manchester United in 2017. However, he secured the Conference League with Roma in 2022.

The Portuguese coach has not managed in Portugal since leaving Porto in 2004, following their Champions League victory. His brief stint at Benfica in 2000 is a distant memory.

Rui Costa, Benfica's president, is aiming to make a significant appointment before the upcoming election. João Noronha Lopes, a candidate for the presidency, is reportedly interested in recruiting Ruben Amorim from Manchester United, but Mourinho's return seems to be the preferred choice.

Mourinho has been open about his desire to coach, stating that his nature is wanting to be on the sidelines. He confirmed that Benfica had approached him about the head coach position before he caught a plane.

If negotiations are successful, Mourinho's return to Chelsea in the Champions League could be swift, given that the competition's phase starts on 30 September. Mourinho won three league titles, one FA Cup, and three League Cups across two spells at Chelsea. He also led Inter to a historic treble in 2010, winning the second European Cup with victory over Bayern Munich.

However, Mourinho's tenure at United and Spurs was not as successful, and he was sacked just before facing Manchester City in the League Cup final in 2021. Despite this, he did win a League Cup and Europa League with United.

Mourinho flew into Portugal on Wednesday and mentioned that he wanted to balance himself emotionally before accepting a coaching position. He has stated that he is open to the possibility of coaching Benfica, adding an exciting dimension to the Portuguese football scene.