While the prospect of a reunion is firmly on the table, the Portuguese tactician is not prepared to walk back into the Bernabeu without total control. Mourinho, who is currently managing Benfica under a contract that runs until 2027, has reportedly laid out a series of non-negotiable conditions that Perez must meet before he agrees to lead the project once again. Interestingly, these demands are not centered on his personal salary or financial package.
Instead, Mourinho is demanding a total overhaul of the club’s internal functioning. He is reportedly asking for absolute sporting control, a restructure of the medical department, and full disciplinary authority over the squad. These requirements highlight his desire to avoid the internal politics that plagued the final months of his first tenure between 2010 and 2013, a period in which he led the team to one title each in La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de Espana.