Manchester: Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez lauded José Mourinho for "increasing our competitiveness" during a televised interview on Wednesday, as speculation continues to mount regarding the manager's potential return to the Santiago Bernabéu.

Mourinho has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Álvaro Arbeloa, following a second consecutive season in which the club failed to secure a major trophy. Real Madrid's 2-0 defeat in El Clásico on Sunday officially confirmed arch-rival Barcelona as La Liga champions.

The interview, a 40-minute sit-down with journalist Josep Pedrerol on La Sexta, followed a high-profile news conference on Tuesday. In that appearance, Pérez garnered international attention by accusing the media of a coordinated campaign against his leadership and announcing early presidential elections to seek a fresh mandate from the club's members.

"I like all the coaches who've been with us," Pérez said when questioned about the Portuguese tactician. "He increased our competitiveness, that's true, and from there we won six European Cups in 10 years."

Mourinho previously managed the club from 2010 to 2013. Following his exit, Madrid embarked on a historic run, winning the Champions League in 2014, securing three consecutive titles between 2016 and 2018, and adding further trophies in 2022 and 2024.

While Mourinho—currently at the helm of Benfica—has publicly denied any communication with the club, sources told ESPN he remains on a three-man shortlist to lead the team next season.

Addressing Management and Injuries

Pérez maintained a lighthearted tone when pressed on the rumours. "You're tiresome about Mourinho!" he joked. "People say I've talked to Mourinho, that I've talked with the France national team coach (Didier Deschamps)... I get a lot of messages saying 'sign Mourinho!' And I get others saying I shouldn't even think about it. But I don't reply."

Reflecting on a 2025-26 campaign that "hasn't gone how we wanted," Pérez defended the brief tenure of Xabi Alonso, who was dismissed in January. He attributed the team’s struggles to a gruelling schedule and a lack of preparation.

"I think the origin of it all is in the Club World Cup," Pérez explained. "We didn't have a pre-season. We had 28 injuries. We changed coach. We couldn't recover our fitness. Playing every Wednesday and Sunday, the players get injured, and our fitness wasn't sufficient."

The president assured supporters that "there'll be signings," noting his historical record of acquiring "Galácticos" such as Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, and Cristiano Ronaldo. "When there's a good player, I go for him," he said.

Support for Star Players

Pérez offered a strong defence of Kylian Mbappé, calling him "the best player Madrid have right now." He also clarified that the club feels no immediate pressure to extend the contract of Vinícius Júnior, whose current agreement runs until 2027.

"Vinícius is one of the great players Madrid have," Pérez remarked. "The last two European Cups we won, he won them for us. There's no hurry. We'll finish this season, and then we have another season to talk."

Electoral Challenges

As the club moves toward elections, businessman and Madrid member Enrique Riquelme has emerged as a potential challenger. Riquelme issued an open letter to Pérez on Wednesday, advocating for an extension of the electoral timeline.

Under current club statutes, candidates have only 10 days to formalise their bid once elections are called. Riquelme called for "dialogue" to facilitate a more deliberate process. "I believe Madrid fans deserve time, calm, and reflection," he said, arguing for a period that "allows for the real participation of our members."