Benfica have Jose Mourinho DOUBTS as bizarre exit clause revealed

Tom Weber

Updated: 19 Sept 2025 15:46 BST
4 min read

Benfica have appointed legendary manager Jose Mourinho - but he may not last long at the Estadio da Luz.

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The Portuguese tactician was officially unveiled as the Lisbon giants' new head coach on Thursday after Bruno Lage was sacked following a historic Champions League defeat to Azerbaijani side Qarabag.

Benfica have been in the headlines a lot lately due to the club's heated presidential race, which has delivered some ambitious promises. Cristovao Carvalho has pledged to appoint Jurgen Klopp in the future, while Joao Noronha Lopes wants to sign Man City midfielder Bernardo Silva if elected.

Mourinho's explosive personality has now entered this volatile environment, and it seems that Benfica are not entirely convinced that he is the right man for a long-term project.

The 62-year-old has signed a two-year contract, returning to the club 25 years after beginning his coaching career there, but it is plausible that Mourinho will leave again in 2026.

Mourinho's bizarre exit clause

According to Record, a clause in Mourinho's contract allows both parties to end their working relationship within 10 days after the final game of the current season.

This clause can be exercised by either Mourinho or Benfica, and it allows the latter to part with the former without having to pay him his full second-year salary.

The payout Mourinho would receive if triggered is a fraction of the compensation he would be due if sacked under normal circumstances. The same is true if the veteran coach himself were to trigger this option: he would have to pay Benfica an equivalent amount.

Mourinho's recent career trajectory suggests that it is quite possible that the two will go their separate ways again next summer. With the exception of some success at Roma, the former Chelsea and Man Utd boss has failed to impress in the 2020s.

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