Arbeloa says he would be happy if Mourinho returns as Real Madrid coach.

On Saturday, Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said he would welcome a return of Jose Mourinho to the club for the upcoming season.

Mourinho, who managed Madrid from 2010 to 2013 and faced Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona during that period, has been a frequent subject of speculation regarding a comeback at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Currently the head coach of Benfica, selecting the divisive Mourinho would represent a risk for president Florentino Pérez, after Los Blancos finished without a major trophy for two consecutive seasons.

“For me, as a former (Madrid) player and as a Madridista, Jose Mourinho is number one. He’s one of ours,” Arbeloa told reporters. “If he comes back next year, I’ll be very happy to see him back home.”

Arbeloa took over from Xabi Alonso in January, but he could not reverse the club’s difficult campaign.

Star striker Kylian Mbappé criticised Arbeloa after being omitted from the squad for Madrid’s midweek win over Real Oviedo.

Mbappé had just returned from a thigh injury that had kept him out of the Clasico last weekend, where Barcelona beat Madrid to seal their La Liga triumph.

“I’ve just bumped into him, I told him to stay calm. I understand that these kinds of things make headlines, but it’s something much more normal than you think,” Arbeloa said. “I used to be a player, I know what they can feel in these situations — playing every day, then playing less or not at all,” he continued. “I totally understand that Kylian wasn’t happy about not playing on Thursday, and I like that. “I wouldn’t understand it if he didn’t want to play. My relationship with him remains the same.”

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