José Mourinho insists he wants to stay at Benfica heading into next season, dismissing suggestions that dissatisfaction with the squad or a lack of summer investment could drive him away from the Estádio da Luz.
Speaking after Benfica’s 2-0 win over Nacional on 13 April 2026 — a result secured through goals from Andreas Schjelderup and Rafa Silva — the 63-year-old Portuguese manager addressed his future directly. “It depends entirely on whether the club wants me to still be here after the summer,” Mourinho said, per Goal via Pulse Sports. “In any case, my desire to stay at Benfica does not depend on the investment in the team.”
The victory kept Benfica in third place in the Primeira Liga table, with 69 points accumulated from 29 matches. Despite a solid domestic campaign, a first league title in three years now appears unlikely, with rivals Sporting and Porto holding a lead in the standings. Benfica’s last Primeira Liga triumph came in the 2022/23 season.
Mourinho, who joined the Lisbon club in the summer of 2025 on a two-year deal running until 2027 following his exit from Turkish side Fenerbahçe, has recorded 24 wins, eight draws, and eight defeats across 40 matches in all competitions this season. His side’s losses have been concentrated primarily in the UEFA Champions League, with the team maintaining a notably strong unbeaten run in domestic league action.
Reports suggest Mourinho’s contract includes a “mutual termination clause” that can be activated during a ten-day window in May, a provision that has intensified speculation about a potential departure. Real Madrid and unspecified Premier League clubs have been mentioned as possible destinations — though no official approach has been confirmed by any party.
Despite the reported exit mechanism, Mourinho has signalled a clear preference to remain in Lisbon. He expressed a desire to oversee a full pre-season with the aim of mounting a genuine title challenge in the 2026/27 campaign. The two-time UEFA Champions League winner — whose previous Premier League managerial stints produced three top-flight titles — has repeatedly positioned himself as someone focused on building something sustained at Benfica rather than pursuing a short-term exit.
Mourinho’s name has historically been linked to Real Madrid on several occasions throughout his career, having managed the Spanish giants between 2010 and 2013, a tenure that yielded one La Liga title and a Copa del Rey. His return to the club where he previously worked remains, for now, a matter of speculation rather than confirmed fact.
With the Primeira Liga season entering its final stretch and the mutual clause window approaching in May, the coming weeks are likely to bring greater clarity on Mourinho’s position at Benfica — both contractually and in terms of the club’s own ambitions for next season.
