Mourinho deal waits on Madrid vote as Barcelona-Atlético Álvarez feud escalates
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José Mourinho has agreed terms to return as Real Madrid head coach, with the appointment still dependent on Florentino Pérez winning the club’s presidential election on 7 June. Reports differ slightly on the exact structure of the deal: Sky Sports describes it as two years with a one-year option, while other outlets have framed it as running through June 2029. In either case, Madrid are not expected to make a formal announcement before the election result is confirmed. Álvaro Arbeloa remains interim head coach following Xabi Alonso’s January dismissal.
The election has also moved beyond the coaching question. Pérez confirmed on 31 May that, if re-elected, he will call a referendum on Real Madrid’s ownership structure, according to Football España. The proposal would allow the club’s socio-owners to become shareholders, potentially ending the membership model that has defined Madrid since its foundation. The 7 June vote now carries institutional weight as well as sporting consequences.
Barcelona’s pursuit of Atlético Madrid forward Julián Álvarez has turned into a public dispute. Atlético accused Barcelona on 29 May of a “relentless smear campaign” involving “calculated leaks”, per ESPN, while Football España reported on 1 June that Barcelona dispute that version of events and insist they sent a €100m cash offer to Atlético on Friday. Atlético consider Álvarez central to their 2026/27 plans and have so far refused to engage on Barcelona’s terms.
Transfer and squad notes
Anthony Gordon was officially unveiled by Barcelona on 29 May as Hansi Flick’s first summer signing, with beIN Sports confirming his arrival from Newcastle. The deal is reported at €70m plus €10m in performance and trophy-linked add-ons, with the England forward signing a five-year contract after completing his medical in Catalonia. Gordon arrives after a 17-goal season that included 10 goals in 12 Champions League matches.
Real Madrid posted record revenue of €1.26bn across the 2024/25 cycle, the highest figure ever reported by a sports club worldwide, with the Dallas Cowboys listed as the nearest competitor at €1.23bn, per Managing Madrid. The figures were released as part of the club’s financial disclosures ahead of the presidential vote.
Real Oviedo’s return to LaLiga after 24 years lasted only one season. The Asturian club have already been mathematically relegated to the Segunda División after a campaign defined by six wins, 21 defeats and the league’s lowest goal tally, with only 26 scored. Their relegation confirms one of the first major squad-planning stories ahead of the summer window.
What it means for the league
Madrid enter the final week before the 7 June election with two major questions unresolved: who leads the team from the touchline and whether the club’s ownership model could be reshaped. If Pérez wins, Mourinho is expected to be announced shortly after the vote; if he loses, both the coaching plan and the ownership referendum are thrown into uncertainty.
Barcelona have greater sporting continuity after back-to-back league titles, but their summer is already confrontational. Gordon is through the door, while the Álvarez pursuit has become a public test of how aggressively Joan Laporta and Deco are willing to reshape the attack.
Atlético now face a delicate window of their own. Diego Simeone is staying, but Barcelona’s push for Álvarez threatens one of the pillars of Atlético’s 2026/27 project. With the summer market approaching and the fixture list expected in late June or early July, the next few weeks could define the balance of power at the top of LaLiga.