Jose Mourinho 'waiting on call' from former club as contract clause emerges

Jose Mourinho reportedly has a unique contract clause in his Benfica deal amid reports he is "waiting on a call" from his former employers.

Mourinho took the reins at Benfica for a second time in September after being sacked by Fenerbahce following failure to qualify for the Champions League league phase.

He penned a two-year contract with the Lisbon-giants and saw his side secure a spot in the Champions League play-offs after a dramatic final league phase matchday against Real Madrid.

Benfica won 4-2, with goalkeeper Antatoliy Trubin scoring a 98th minute winner to stop Mourinho's men from being eliminated from Europe's premier club competition.

Ironically, Mourinho will come up against his former club again after Benfica and Real were drawn against one another in the two-legged play-offs.

Benfica host Real in a repeat fixture at the Estadio da Luz on Tuesday before travelling to the Santiago Bernabeu for the second leg next week.

Real also made a managerial change, dismissing Xabi Alonso early into his tenure and promoting Alvaro Arbeloa.

But already a return to the Bernabeu for Mourinho is already being discussed, following on from the Portuguese recently admitting that he was close to going back to the 15-time European champions for a visit prior to Benfica bringing him in.

Mourinho is said to have a clever contract clause in his Benfica deal. Image: Getty

"I was very close to going to the Bernabeu for the first time recently since I left," he said.

"My friend Oscar Ribot (a highly influential agent close to Florentino Perez) had arranged everything, but just the day before, Benfica called me and I had to come and sign."

According to AS, Mourinho is not being considered by Los Blancos at the time of writing but a special clause puts him "within reach".

As per the report, Mourinho is able to leave Benfica for free as long as it is within 10 days of the final game of the season.

If the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss was to leave in that 10-day window, Real or any other club would not have to pay a release clause.

In recent times Mourinho and Florentino Perez have lost touch but could well be reunited at the Champions League play-offs, with the second leg in Madrid the most likely occasion.

It's claimed that even though he is understood to be happy in Lisbon, where he is settled and close to his family, a call from Real "would change everything" and accelerate a potential return.

Mourinho "still carries the Madrid club within him", according to the report. He is still said to be keen on managing the Portugal national team one day but the country's football federation "believes his presence is too powerful and demanding for the project to succeed".