No smoke without fire? Jose Mourinho linked with Ballon d’Or winner reunion at Benfica

Jose Mourinho has downplayed rumours that he is looking to reunite with Karim Benzema at Benfica, but European reports continue to claim the Special One really is in pursuit of his former Real Madrid striker.

Mourinho and Benzema worked together for three seasons at Real Madrid, between 2010 and 2013. Benzema, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2022, eventually left the Spanish giants as one of their most productive players ever in 2023, joining Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League.

However, the prospect of a European return has emerged in recent days. Benzema, who will turn 38 in December, has been put forward for a reunion with Mourinho at Benfica.

The speculation has drawn a response from the manager himself, with Mourinho stating: “The last thing on his horizon is a return to European football and, in this case, to a team like ours. He’ll stay there; he’s been happy and won titles, and he’s in an enviable financial situation.

“When you leave top-level European football, at this age, for Saudi Arabia, I don’t think the goal is to return. If you talk to me about younger kids who go and after two or three years are at an age to return to European football, yes. But players like Karim, no.”

And yet the rumours continue to swirl, with Marca the latest source to jump on the bandwagon by claiming Mourinho has contacted Benzema about the prospect of a move to Benfica.

It begs the question: are the latest reports avoiding an obvious reality or is there no smoke without fire?

Over the years, Mourinho has proven himself to be masterful at controlling the narrative around a club he is in charge of. Is he a man of his word, though? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

During his last job at Fenerbahce, he insisted he wouldn’t target any players from his previous club before them, Roma, which turned out to be true.

Now he’s playing down the chances of Benzema returning to Europe, but Marca has claimed Al-Ittihad could sell him in January for around €5m (£4.4m).

The former France international is only under contract in Saudi Arabia until the end of the season.

Mourinho no stranger to transfer reunions

If a reunion was to come off, it wouldn’t be the first time Mourinho has re-signed one of his former players for a new club.

For example, at Roma – in addition to inheriting a squad including his former players Chris Smalling and Henrikh Mkhitaryan – he reunited willingly with Nemanja Matic, who enjoyed a productive season in Serie A and the Europa League after leaving Manchester United in 2022.

And way back when he was first introducing himself to English football in his first spell at Chelsea, he brought trusted Porto servants like Paulo Ferreira and Ricardo Carvalho with him at the earliest opportunity, going on to win the Premier League with them.

Mourinho loves a good striker and Benzema has flourished into one of those in the years since they last worked together, even if they had a mixed relationship at the time.

It would be fascinating to see Benzema testing his talents in the Portuguese league with Mourinho, but for now, the manager’s words have to be taken more seriously than the reports that are surfacing.

GO FURTHER: Six former players Jose Mourinho could sign at Benfica, including ex Man Utd stars