Jose Mourinho has agreed a deal to return to Real Madrid as head coach 13 years after his departure, according to reports.

The 63-year-old Portuguese is set to replace Alvaro Arbeloa, who took over from new Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso in January and has steered the club to a guaranteed second-place La Liga finish, although they sit 11 points behind champions Barcelona with one round of fixtures remaining.

Mourinho spent three years in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu between 2010 and 2013, winning the league title – his team were the first to do so having amassed 100 points – and the Copa del Rey.

His impending return follows weeks of speculation that he was the man president Florentino Perez wanted to take the club forward as they attempt to challenge Barça, who have landed back-to-back league titles and three of the past four, and return to Champions League prominence following this season’s quarter-final exit at the hands of Bayern Munich.

Perez has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks after two seasons without a trophy, and faced protests during last Thursday evening’s 2-0 league win over Oviedo at the Bernabeu.

Mourinho was appointed Benfica boss on a two-year contract in September last year and has since led the Portuguese club to a third-placed Primeira Liga finish behind Porto and Sporting Lisbon, during which they went unbeaten.