Jorge Mendes is already on the job as Jose Mourinho shares his top choice for Real Madrid.
Super-agent Jorge Mendes is set to play a big part in making Jose Mourinho’s first signing for his second time as Real Madrid’s manager. Mourinho is about to be announced as Real’s new head coach soon, after the club confirmed that the previous coach, Alvaro Arbeloa, has left.
Fabrizio Romano reported that Mendes met for a long time on Tuesday night with Real’s director general Jose Angel Sanchez and chief scout Juni Calafat to talk about the details of Mourinho’s return.
Mourinho’s comeback was a key promise from Florentino Perez, who was recently re-elected as Real Madrid’s president. Perez won 65% of the vote against his rival Enrique Riquelme and said he was proud to bring back “one of the best coaches in the world, a madridista like Jose Mourinho.”
Mourinho will team up again with his agent Mendes, who helped him move from Porto to Chelsea back in 2004. Mendes’ agency, GestiFute, represents some of the world’s biggest players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Lamine Yamal, and Vitinha. Another client of Mendes is Bernardo Silva, who will leave Manchester City when his contract ends this June.
Bernardo, a 31-year-old midfielder who will play for Portugal in the World Cup this summer, has been linked with clubs like Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and some teams in the Saudi Pro League. But Real Madrid is planning a late move to sign him, with Mendes leading the talks.
According to Spanish news outlet AS, Mourinho wants players who are focused on the team and can help both on the field and in the locker room. Last month, Esdario said Mourinho made 10 big demands to take the Real job, including full control over the squad and dressing room.
Bernardo has been one of City’s leaders over his nine years there and became club captain at the start of the 2025/26 season. AS reports that Mourinho quickly picked Bernardo as his top target when talking with Real, and that Bernardo has put other decisions on hold while waiting for Mourinho’s appointment.
Bernardo himself said last week he won’t decide his future before the World Cup, even though many expected him to do so. “Barcelona is one option, but I haven’t made a final decision yet,” he told reporters. “There are many options, and I respect all the clubs interested. In the end, I want to find a team where they want me, where I feel truly loved. That’s very important, and when I decide, they will know.”