Jose Mourinho’s grand plan: from Man Utd to Real Madrid

Jose Mourinho has turned down the chance to return to Benfica as their new manager, according to reports.

Sky Sports says the former Manchester United and Chelsea manager is believed to consider it too early to return to his native Portugal “at this stage of his career”.

Yesterday’s man still young

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Despite the ignominious way his last two jobs have ended - sacked by both Chelsea and United - the Special One apparently still believes he has what it takes to manage “one of Europe’s leading clubs”, the broadcaster continues.

Mourinho turns 56 at the end of this month and while some in Britain have claimed he is “yesterday’s man” following his sacking by the Old Trafford club last month, the Portuguese evidently believes in the old adage that form is temporary, class is permanent.

He began his managerial career at Benfica in 2000 but as Sky Sports notes, “a dispute with the club” prompted him to quit the Estadio Luz after just nine league games. His big break came at Porto, where Mourinho masterminded an incredible Champions League triumph in 2004.

Mourinho to Madrid?

From there his career went into the ascendency, and in three years at Chelsea he won six trophies before guiding Inter Milan to a historic treble in 2010.

As to where Mourinho would like to head next, Metro claims that he has his eye on Real Madrid, where he was in charge from 2010 to 2013.

The paper says that the European champions are “on the lookout for a new manager in the summer” and that Mourinho is being tipped to replace Santiago Solari, although Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez is also in the frame.

Real revolution required

Spanish paper Marca has published a scathing assessment of Real Madrid’s decline this season, saying that “a revolution is needed, sooner rather than later”.

And that was before yesterday’s latest disaster, a 2-0 defeat at home to Real Sociedad, which leaves them fifth in La Liga, ten points behind leaders Barcelona.

The Madrid players refused to speak to the media after the match, fuelling speculation that Solari is living on borrowed time.

Solari did talk to reporters - and inevitably the first question concerned his future. “We compete to win the next game,” he replied.