Marco Silva named Benfica head coach after Jose Mourinho exit

Portuguese club Benfica have reached an agreement with Marco Silva to become their new head coach following the departure of Jose Mourinho, who is set to return to Real Madrid.

Silva left his role at Fulham last week after his five-year tenure at Craven Cottage came to an end.

Benfica confirmed that the former Hull City, Watford and Everton manager will take charge on a deal running until the end of the 2027-28 season, with an option to extend it by a further year until 2028-29.

In a statement, Benfica said they had ‘reached an agreement’ with Silva, paving the way for the Portuguese coach to return to management in his homeland after several years in English football.

The Lisbon-based club also officially announced Mourinho’s departure, confirming that Real Madrid will pay £13 million (€15 million) in compensation to secure the services of the experienced manager.

“The coach [Mourinho] has given his agreement to this hiring,” Benfica stated.

“Thus ended Jose Mourinho's second spell as manager of Benfica's professional football team,” The club added.

Mourinho returned to Benfica in September and guided the side to a third-place finish in the Primeira Liga.

Under his leadership, the team remained unbeaten throughout the league campaign, producing one of the most consistent domestic seasons in the club’s recent history.

The move marks Mourinho’s return to the Bernabeu, where he previously enjoyed a successful spell between 2010 and 2013.

During his first stint in Madrid, the Portuguese coach won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup, establishing himself as one of the club’s most successful modern managers.