Real Madrid target Jose Mourinho as possible replacement for Alvaro Arbeloa

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Real Madrid are reportedly eyeing Jose Mourinho as a potential replacement for Alvaro Arbeloa, as uncertainty continues over the club’s managerial position.There is a certain irony in the story developing around Real Madrid’s managerial future right now, and it begins at Anfield.Alvaro Arbeloa spent two seasons at Liverpool between 2007 and 2009 under Rafael Benitez, making 80 appearances in total and establishing himself as one of the most dependable defensive utility players in the squad.Across 66 Premier League games, he scored twice, contributed three assists, and was part of a backline that kept 30 clean sheets.His most celebrated individual moment came on his full debut at the Camp Nou in 2007, when Benitez deployed him as a makeshift left-back specifically to nullify Lionel Messi — a task he completed with a 100% tackle success rate against the Argentine.In the 2008-09 season, he led Liverpool’s squad with 10 yellow cards, which tells you everything about the combative, no-nonsense defensive enforcer he was.That reputation served him well as a player, but the transition to senior management has been far more turbulent.Arbeloa took charge of Real Madrid’s first team in January 2026 following Xabi Alonso’s departure, inheriting a club already under pressure.The results have not been kind.Madrid are currently nine points behind Barcelona in La Liga, were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Albacete, and three days ago suffered a Champions League quarter-final elimination at the hands of Bayern Munich — a defeat made more painful by a late Eduardo Camavinga red card that shifted the momentum at a critical moment.Reports now indicate that Arbeloa will see out the remainder of the season but will not continue beyond it.Meanwhile, the man who once managed Arbeloa at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013 is in a very different position. Jose Mourinho, now 63, is currently in charge of Benfica in Portugal, having taken over in September 2025.His record across 23 matches reads 11 wins, five draws, and seven losses, a points-per-game average of 1.65 in a competitive Liga Portugal title race.He holds 26 major trophies in total, including two Champions Leagues, two Europa Leagues, and one Conference League, and remains the only manager in history to have won all three current UEFA club competitions.Benfica president Rui Costa has publicly stated that Mourinho will remain at the club for the 2026-27 season, though that declaration may now carry less weight than it did even a week ago.According to a report from Record in Portugal, the possibility of Jose Mourinho returning to Real Madrid as manager is alive and gaining strength, with the club’s president Florentino Perez actively considering him as a solution to the coaching vacancy that is now widely expected to open up this summer.Record were unambiguous in their reporting, “The possibility of José Mourinho returning to Real Madrid is alive.”“Record understands that the Special One’s name is one of those being discussed in Florentino Pérez’s office, whose main task at the moment is to find a solution for the coaching position.”“And there is evidence indicating that there could be progress in the coming days.”“According to our information, a meeting between the Real Madrid management and Álvaro Arbeloa is scheduled for next week.”“The outcome, however, will not be a surprise to almost anyone — the gaffer will not continue as manager of Los Blancos.”Mourinho himself is understood to welcome the prospect of a return to the Bernabeu, a club where he remained a popular figure both during and after his three-year spell.There are, however, complications.His public support for Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during the racism row involving Vinicius Jr. drew significant attention, and his subsequent criticism of the Brazilian superstar’s celebrations and behaviour after Vinicius scored against his side will not have gone unnoticed inside the corridors of the Santiago Bernabeu.Whether that has materially damaged his standing with the club’s hierarchy remains to be seen.José Mourinho, Jürgen Klopp, and Didier Deschamps are all understood to be among the names under consideration, but recent reports indicate that Klopp is no longer on the shortlist, with the Portuguese manager now appearing to be leading the conversation.

Alvaro Arbeloa Jose Mourinho Real Madrid