In an extraordinary and unprecedented power play, super-agent Jorge Mendes is prepared to take the extraordinary step of paying José Mourinho’s release clause out of his own pocket to guarantee the Portuguese coach returns to Real Madrid, sources have confirmed to [jfelixdiaz].
The dramatic intervention comes as a result of a tight ticking clock and political deadlock at the Santiago Bernabéu. Mourinho’s current contractual release clause—believed to be tied to his ongoing situation with Roma or his existing severance terms—is set to expire within days. Simultaneously, Real Madrid is entering a two-week electoral period for the club’s presidency, during which the club’s interim management is forbidden from making major sporting announcements, including the appointment of a new first-team manager.
With the electioneering period blocking any official move from the club, Mendes has decided to bypass the bureaucracy entirely. According to sources close to the negotiation, the agent views the clause’s impending expiration as a now-or-never moment. By paying the buyout figure himself, Mendes would effectively release Mourinho from his current obligations, allowing “The Special One” to become a free agent. Once the elections conclude and a new or reinstated president is in place, Mourinho could then sign with Real Madrid without a transfer fee or legal impediment.
This would allow the club to respect its electoral moratorium while Mendes privately finances the operation, presumably to be reimbursed once the board is formally empowered to act.
For Real Madrid, the move would represent a stunning return for Mourinho, who coached the club from 2010 to 2013, breaking Barcelona’s domestic dominance and winning a historic La Liga title with 100 points. His potential re-hiring has been a subject of fierce debate among the club’s socios, especially as current boss Carlo Ancelotti faces mounting pressure despite past European success.
Mendes’ willingness to put his own millions on the line underscores not only his loyalty to Mourinho—his longest-standing client—but also the agent’s immense influence over the modern transfer market. The move would be virtually unheard of: an agent financing a manager’s release to circumvent a club’s political calendar.
An official confirmation is not expected from Real Madrid until after the presidential election results are certified in two weeks. However, sources insist that “all documents are ready” and that Mendes is merely awaiting the green light on the legal structure of the payment.
If successful, Mourinho could be unveiled as Real Madrid manager for the 2025-26 season before the end of the current campaign, setting the stage for one of the most anticipated managerial returns in modern football history.
