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News
- 31 minutes ago
Mourinho eyes shock reunion with Real Madrid 'bad boy'
Tom Weber
- 22 Sept 2025 17:00 BST
- 4 min read
News
New Benfica boss Jose Mourinho is keen on a reunion with his former Real Madrid star Karim Benzema, according to a sensational report.
The Portuguese coaching legend made a quick return to the dugout last week. Mere days after being sacked by Fenerbahce, Mourinho was unveiled as the new man at the helm of Benfica.
He returned to the club 25 years after beginning his coaching career there and got off to a thrilling start, beating AVS 3-0 at the weekend. He has penned a two-year contract in Lisbon, although only time will tell if he will actually see it out.
Current ETV
Karim Benzema
F (C)
Al-Ittihad
Karim Benzema
F (C)
Al-Ittihad
ETV Range
€3.1M - €4.6M
A clause in his deal allows both parties to end their cooperation within ten days after the final game of the season. However, should this relationship prove fruitful, Mourinho will surely stay beyond the summer.
Indeed, plans are already being put in place for some ambitious transfers. Presidential candidate Jorge Noronha Lopes has promised to sign Man City captain Bernardo Silva on a free transfer next year, and Mourinho himself seems to have big plans.
Mourinho eyes Benzema reunion
According to Ekrem Konur, Mourinho is keen on a reunion with his former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, who is out of contract at Al-Ittihad next summer.
The former France international is still going strong at 37, having scored 41 goals in 64 appearances since joining the Jeddah outfit in 2023. However, he would have to take a significant pay cut to move to Lisbon.
Mourinho himself has revealed that he could have earned significantly more had he opted to wait until the end of the season for a lucrative opportunity, rather than following his heart and joining Benfica.
Whether anything will come of this rumour remains to be seen, but Mourinho rates Benzema highly. He previously described him as a 'bad boy' due to his early struggles at Real Madrid before later acknowledging him as a 'legend.'
“Benzema in Madrid was a bad boy," he said in 2021. "He was a kid that arrived in the previous season from Lyon. He was 19 when he went for Madrid, and it was too much for him at the time.
“He’s the kind of striker who, if he doesn’t score lots of goals, he still plays amazing for the team. Karim is a fantastic player.”
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