The 62-year-old has been installed as early favourite to take charge after Bruno Lage was dismissed on Tuesday in the wake of a damaging Champions League defeat to Qarabag.
Benfica have moved swiftly to reassure supporters that a new boss will be appointed before Saturday’s league fixture, with president Rui Costa also declaring: “The Benfica coach must be a winner. He must be a coach who represents a club of this size.”
It is a statement that immediately evokes Mourinho’s name.
He was handed his first senior managerial job at Benfica back in September 2000, stepping into the dugout for what proved a short but significant stint. In the 25 years since, he has managed 10 clubs across Europe, lifting the Champions League with both Porto and Inter Milan, and collecting league titles in Portugal, England, Italy and Spain.
Mourinho has rarely been away from the headlines and his most recent chapter ended only three weeks ago when he was sacked by Fenerbahce – ironically, after a Champions League play-off defeat to Benfica.
That loss ended his time in Turkey, but it may also have opened the door for a spectacular reunion with the Lisbon giants.
While names such as Nuno Espirito Santo and Thiago Motta are also being considered, sources have confirmed that preliminary negotiations between Benfica and Mourinho’s representatives have already begun. His availability, coupled with his stature and emotional connection to the club, makes him an irresistible candidate.
For Benfica, the appeal of appointing one of Portugal’s most decorated coaches is obvious. For Mourinho, it would be a full-circle moment - a return to where his story first took shape.
It is expected all parties will soon reveal whether a contract agreement has been reached for him to take charge.
