Jose Mourinho is poised for a swift return to management with Benfica reportedly set to appoint him as their new boss by the weekend following the dismissal of Bruno Lage. The Portuguese coach had previously been linked with Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, but have now seemingly struck a deal with Mourinho. The 62-year-old, who was given his marching orders by Fenerbahce just last month, previously managed the Lisbon side for a brief spell of 11 games back in 2000.
Now, reports from Portugal suggest he's on the brink of a sensational return to Estadio da Luz as Benfica scramble to recover from their humiliating Champions League defeat to Qarabag. Lage bore the brunt of the fallout after squandering a 2-0 lead at home and was shown the door in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Benfica's president, Rui Costa, made it clear that a change at the helm was necessary following the shocking result as they strive to reclaim their status as Portugal's top club.
Costa has made no secret of his desire to act swiftly, with CNN Portugal revealing that an agreement in principle has been reached, with the two parties now ironing out the details of the contract. Costa stated: "Regarding the next coach, we expect to have the new one on the bench at Vila das Aves next Saturday."
That man looks set to be Mourinho, a figure who commands immense respect in his native country. It was with Porto that the legendary coach first carved out his reputation, dominating the domestic scene and clinching the UEFA Cup and the Champions League in back-to-back seasons before making his move to Chelsea.
Should Benfica secure Mourinho then it could effectively shut down a potential exit route for Amorim, whose position at United remains increasingly uncertain. This comes despite Old Trafford bosses publicly backing their manager, irrespective of his dreadful results.
The frontrunner to become Benfica's next president, Joao Noronha Lopes, made the trip to Manchester last weekend to witness Amorim's team suffer a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad.
Lopes has been open about his ambitions to bring Amorim back to Benfica should he triumph over Costa in next month's presidential race. In a recent interview with Record, he didn't attempt to conceal his respect for Amorim - though he stopped short of confirming any appointment plans.
He said: "Ruben Amorim? He's a great coach, he has a contract with Manchester United. I won't comment on that. Of course I like him. He's a great coach and a Benfica fan. I don't have a contract for Ruben to sign."
Lopes' deputy would be Nuno Gomes - amongst Amorim's closest allies who shared the pitch with him for both Benfica and Portugal - and the former striker has been clear about his vision of the United manager eventually returning to Lisbon.
When questioned about the possibility of his comeback, he stated: "Ruben Amorim is the coach of Manchester United, I can't answer that question. One thing I know, Ruben Amorim will be the coach of Benfica one day."