• Former president Ramón Calderón believes move is imminent • ‘Mourinho will be the perfect shield against the unhappiness’

José Mourinho could be back in charge of Real Madrid as early as Monday, according to the club’s former president Ramón Calderón. Mourinho, sacked by Manchester United in December, has been linked with a return to the Bernabéu, with Santiago Solari’s future in doubt after Real went out of the Champions League to Ajax this week.

Mourinho spent three tempestuous seasons at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, winning La Liga in 2012 but also falling out with Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas as well as his Barcelona counterpart at the time, Pep Guardiola.

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However, Calderón thinks the time is right for Mourinho’s second coming in Madrid. “I understand Mourinho will sign a deal for the remainder of this season and for another three years, with a net salary of £17m per year,” Calderón wrote in the i newspaper.

“For the president [Florentino Pérez], Mourinho will be the perfect shield against the unhappiness in the media, the fans and the players. But it will not be easy and I predict it will be very difficult over the next three months.”

On the possibility of friction between Mourinho and Ramos, Calderon added: “It remains to be seen what Ramos will do. The fans love him, he is one of the most important players and he wants to see out the rest of his career at Real Madrid.”

Mourinho was asked about going back to Real during a recent appearance on beIN SPORTS. He said: “Would I go back to a club I’ve been at before? If I thought it was the right club, right structure, the right ambitions, no problem at all.

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“It is a reason of pride when a club where you worked before wanted you to come back. The only moment where I had this feeling was with Chelsea, not with Real Madrid.”