Marco Silva signs two-year Benfica deal as Mourinho's €15m exit seals Real Madrid return

Marco Silva has been appointed Benfica head coach on a two-year contract, with the Portuguese club confirming the deal after Real Madrid paid José Mourinho’s €15m (£12.9m) release clause to bring him back to the Bernabéu.

Benfica notified Portugal’s securities regulator, the CMVM, of both departures and arrivals in quick succession. “Real Madrid has formally expressed its intention to hire Jose Mourinho for the amount of 15 million euros, with the coach having given his agreement. Thank you, Jose Mourinho,” the club’s statement read. A second notice confirmed Silva’s contract, which runs until 2027 with an option to extend to 2028.

Silva, who had been Fulham head coach since July 2021 before leaving at the end of last season, inherits a squad that went unbeaten in the Primeira Liga yet still finished third — eight points behind champions Porto after drawing 11 of their 34 league matches.

Mourinho’s return to Madrid had been widely anticipated but hinged on Florentino Pérez being re-elected as Real Madrid president. That was confirmed on Monday when Pérez won a landslide ballot victory, immediately setting the managerial transition in motion.

In his first spell at the club between 2010 and 2013, Mourinho delivered a La Liga title and the Copa del Rey. He now steps into a vacancy created after Real parted company with caretaker head coach Álvaro Arbeloa on Tuesday. Arbeloa had taken charge of first-team duties in January when Xabi Alonso was sacked just six months into his reign.