Real Madrid officially announced Arbeloa odl
Real Madrid and Alvaro Arbeloa have announced the coach's retirement by mutual consent. Arbeloa have won 18 of 28 matches since the roster change in January; But the club ended the season without a major trophy. In a club statement, Arbeloya thanked him for his commitment over the decades and wished him well. This decision paves the way for the potential arrival of Jose Mourinho; At the same time, Real Madrid's €150m offer for Julián Alvarez was rejected by Atletico, with Atletico issuing a furious response statement.
Real Madrid Club has officially announced that they have ended their relationship with their first team head coach Alvaro Arbeloa by mutual agreement. Although Arbeloa expressed his intention to leave the club at the end of last season, Real Madrid logically made his contract official on Tuesday — leading to speculation that it could pave the way for Jose Mourinho's return.
The 43-year-old Arbeloya received first-team action following a roster change in January; A total of 28 matches have been led in all competitions with a record of 18 wins, 2 draws and 8 losses. Arbeloa, who made 233 appearances for Real Madrid as a player, has also shown his commitment to the club in his return to coaching, the club said in a published statement.
"The Real Madrid club and Alvaro Arbeloa have reached an agreement to end their tenure as first team coach. The club is very grateful to Alvaro — he has always shown honesty, commitment and professionalism since joining our academy. His personality exemplifies the values of our club. Real Madrid will always be his home; we wish him and his family all the best in this new phase," the club's statement said.
Arbeloa's captaincy ended the season without another major trophy for Real Madrid — beating their Clasico rivals Barcelona to the La Liga title. Additionally, Real Madrid was eliminated by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Arbeloa's retreat appears to have led to Jose Mourinho being brought back in, with club president Florentino Perez reportedly backing him. Mourinho won La Liga, Copa del Rey and Supercopa España during his time at Real Madrid between 2010–2013.
Reports suggest that Pérez's leadership has aired promises to bring back Mourinho during a successful election campaign. Likewise, Peres has also promised to bring a big name into his campaign — many of these hips in the markets believe Michael Olis, who has had a great performance in the 2025–26 season, will be identified.
Further, Real Madrid announced on Tuesday that they have made a €150 million offer to Atletico Madrid for Julian Alvarez; That offer was rejected by Atlético. Atlético itself issued a strong statement on this and clarified the situation. In a statement, Atletico said:
"1. You cut the part in the pop video where he says he's also an Atleti fan. 2. If you think you're confusing culture with gratitude, you're wrong: we want to tell you that we're not grateful for anything. 3. We're not looking at or considering any offers for Julian Alvarez. 4. How can you not say you're hustling us, you're laughing at us more than Barcelona. P.S. You Having a good relationship with the new president, we will see if we can stop taking away the 'played' players from our academy again. Thank you very much!"
The Real Madrid club is at a critical transition point — decisions following the change of head coach, the aftermath of Perez's election and transfer negotiations will determine the club's future. Along with the club's praise for Alvaro Arbeloa, fans and analysts are eyeing the possibility of Mourinho's return in the coming days.