Despite the lure of a second stint in the Spanish capital, Mourinho insisted that staying in Portugal remains a very strong possibility. He pointed to a lucrative new deal on the table from Benfica president Rui Costa as a reason why he might stay put. The manager seems to be weighing his loyalty to the project at the Estadio da Luz against the prestige of returning to one of the biggest jobs in world football.
“There’s a 99 per cent chance I’ll stay at Benfica, because I have a contract with Benfica and, in addition to having a contract, I have a renewal offer that I haven’t seen yet, but my agent said it was an excellent offer,” the Portuguese manager claimed. Despite this prediction, he did not hide the fact that serious business is afoot, noting: “My agent has informed me that there could be a real & serious situation with Real Madrid, I am not denying that. But right now, I have not signed any contract with Real Madrid.”