Mourinho could make shock Real Madrid return

FT Desk

• 11 Nov 2022 13:39 CST
• 3 min read

Jose Mourinho is yet to extend his contract with Roma and the "Special One" could end up replacing Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid should the Italian call it a day at the end of the season.

Mourinho still has another two years to run on his deal at the Stadio Olimpico, but having led the Giallorossi to Europa Conference League glory in May, is reportedly growing unhappy at still earning €4 million less per year than he was at Tottenham Hotspur.

Roma have made an underwhelming start to the Serie A season, meanwhile, sitting seventh in the table with 12 less points than league leaders Napoli after 14 games played, and he lambasted defender Rick Karsdorp after Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Sassuolo.

READ: Mourinho tells Roma player who 'betrayed team-mates': Get out!

I had 16 players on the field tonight and I liked the attitude of 15 of them," he told DAZN after the game. "In January, he needs to find himself another club."

At the same time, Real Madrid have slipped from the top spot in La Liga - relative failure for them - and recent Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema has only started one game since the Clasico defeat to new league leaders Barcelona last month.

The suspicion at the Santiago Bernabeu is that the Frenchman has been trading on a muscular injury in order to be at 100 per cent for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar - something Mourinho would react more aggressively to than pacifist Ancelotti.

READ: Real Madrid 'angry' at Ballon d'Or winner Benzema

Mourinho rejected Madrid in 2021

Real - whom Mourinho led to a La Liga title in 2012 - were back in for the Portuguese tactician as recently as last year.

"He even rejected Real Madrid," former Portugal and Atletico Madrid star Paulo Futre told Serie A news recently. "When [Zinedine] Zidane left, he'd already signed with Roma, but could've still gone to Madrid."

Ancelotti's job may not be at risk yet, but Real did previously sack him in in 2015 despite having won the Champions League the previous year.