Jose Mourinho‘s will be the most closely watched transfer saga of the coming months — a unique feat for someone who is not even a soccer player.
The Real Madrid manager’s relationship with club president Florentino Perez has gotten so bad that the two have agreed Mourinho must leave at the end of the season, according to Marca.
“José Mourinho will not continue on the Real Madrid bench next season even if the club wins the Champions League,” Marca reports. ” Relations between the Portuguese manager and Real Madrid President … are now practically inexistent. That’s the way things are. Mourinho will negotiate his departure from the club in June 2013.”
The report says Perez grew tired of Mourinho’s public antics and difficult character, which have put “strain on the club.” The “Special One” has clashed with star players like Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos and Mezut Ozil in the last 15 months.
Mourinho has taken on the Spanish Federation and UEFA at various points in time, but club officials refuse to publicly back him. Marca says Mourinho believes that Real Madrid directors “only want results from him.”
When questioned about the report, Mourinho neither confirmed nor denied its accuracy, the BBC reports.
“I am not speaking about this. There’s no story,” he told reporters.
There was friction in the Spanish capital last season, and rumors about Mourinho’s imminent departure arose in early 2012. Key figures set aside their differences, and Real went on to win La Liga in record-breaking fashion.
Things haven’t gone so well this season  After 14 games, Real is third in La Liga, trailing league-leading Barcelona by 11 points. Marca says the dressing room remains divided, with players and staff tuning out the manager.
“Florentino [Perez] is aware that the dressing room is not with the manager, and that his rows and his defiance now have little effect,” the report adds. “They back him up in the outside world, but indoors at the club they ignore him, something which is driving Mourinho to despair.”
Mourinho signed a contract extension last summer, which ties him to Real Madrid until 2016. He could reach a settlement with the club and leave as the most in-demand free agent manager in world soccer. Another club, perhaps Manchester City or Chelsea, could pay Madrid a fee to release Mourinho from his contract. Either way, the Mourinho saga has only just begun.
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