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Real Madrid have reportedly chosen Jose Mourinho as their next manager, but the move has been temporarily suspended. The delay stems from the upcoming presidential elections at the club, following the electoral board’s approval of Enrique Riquelme’s candidacy to challenge Florentino Perez for the top post.

Perez has been the main advocate for Mourinho’s return, aiming to bring him back 13 years after his previous stint as the club’s coach. He is said to have already agreed on a two-year deal with the current Benfica manager. However, due to the election process, the finalisation of this agreement is currently on hold — a situation that could become quite expensive for Real Madrid.

As reported by Diario AS, Mourinho’s release clause at Benfica, valued at €7 million, is set to expire on Tuesday. If Real Madrid fail to activate it before the deadline, the club would then have to pay €15 million to secure their preferred managerial candidate.

The €15 million figure represents Mourinho’s gross annual salary at Benfica, and that is expected to be the Portuguese side’s initial demand if the clause lapses. While there remains a possibility of negotiations to bring the fee down, it is unlikely to return to the original €7 million amount.

For his part, Mourinho appears calm about the situation. The Portuguese tactician is eager to return to Real Madrid for a second spell, and although the process has been delayed, he does not believe his opportunity to rejoin the club is slipping away.

It remains to be seen whether any progress will be made in the next 24 hours regarding Real Madrid’s pursuit of Mourinho. While major developments are not expected immediately, there is still ample time before pre-season begins for both parties to settle the matter and formalise the agreement.