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Álvaro Arbeloa has expressed heartfelt appreciation for Real Madrid as he announced his decision to step down as the club’s manager, while also sharing his thoughts on the potential return of José Mourinho.

José Mourinho’s much-anticipated comeback to Real Madrid appears imminent. On Friday, current manager Álvaro Arbeloa confirmed that he will depart the club at the conclusion of the season.

“I’m leaving Real Madrid with deep gratitude. The players have made me a better person and brought happiness to my daily life,” Arbeloa stated during a press conference. The 43-year-old, who had previously managed the reserve team, took charge in mid-January following Xabi Alonso’s departure. Despite his efforts, he was unable to reverse the team’s struggles, with Real Madrid failing to win any trophies during the 2025/26 season. Arbeloa’s contract had originally been set to run until 2027.

Mourinho, who enjoyed a successful spell as Real Madrid’s head coach between 2010 and 2013, is now tipped to inject new energy into the side. Earlier in the week, several reports indicated that the 63-year-old Portuguese tactician’s move from Benfica Lisbon to Madrid was nearly finalized, although the club has not yet issued an official statement. While Mourinho is under contract at Benfica until 2027, he can reportedly activate a release clause worth three million euros to facilitate the move. He is expected to agree to a two-year contract with Real. Recent reports have also mentioned that Mourinho has already identified potential transfer targets.

Arbeloa commented, “Mou has an outstanding coaching staff; he’s surrounded by great professionals. If he returns, he’ll do so with his own team, as it should be.” The Spaniard also clarified that he will not be joining Mourinho’s coaching staff.

Real Madrid’s season has been disappointing both on and off the pitch.

In La Liga, Real Madrid trail defending champions FC Barcelona by 11 points heading into the final round of matches. They will face Athletic Bilbao on Saturday in a game that holds no stakes. In the Champions League, Real were eliminated by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, while their Copa del Rey campaign ended prematurely in the round of 16 after a shock defeat to Albacete.

Off the field, the club’s season under Arbeloa has been equally turbulent, with reports of internal friction. Most notably, star forward Kylian Mbappé and several other players were involved in public disagreements with the manager.

Arbeloa, who represented Real Madrid as a player between 2009 and 2016 before moving into coaching and administration, reflected on his long association with the club. “As for what comes next, I’ll start thinking about that on Monday,” he said. “I hope this is more of a ‘see you soon’. I’ve always considered this my home; I’ve been part of Real Madrid in different roles for two decades.”