Jose Mourinho is believed to be increasingly likely to become the next Real Madrid boss.
Despite the Portuguese's insistence that he is not personally speaking to the Spanish giants while Benfica's season is still alive, work is going on behind the scenes on his behalf with the intention to make a move happen, Sky Sports News understands.
President Florentino Perez has continued to be a huge admirer of Mourinho since his first spell at the Bernabeu between 2010 and 2013, and they have remained close.
Perez is believed to want to make Mourinho Real's next head coach and try to arrest some of the disorder that has been going on at the club in recent weeks, including in the dressing room.
Mourinho says he will remain focussed on the rest of the season with Benfica as they fight with Sporting Lisbon to finish second and seal automatic Champions League qualification - potentially via an invincible season.
Ahead of their game against Braga on Monday night, he said: "There's one thing I'd like to emphasise, which is that - in the world of football - it's not the professionals who are interested in going or not going.
"I think that when things start up, and I'm not referring to any specific case, I'm referring in general, when it happens with players, coaches, with professional managers, it's the clubs that are interested and it's the initiator.
"I continue not to talk about Real Madrid, I continue to avoid it, but I avoid it with all honesty.
"I haven't had any contact, neither with the president, nor with any of the important people in the structure.
"And by my own decision, a decision similar to others I had in my career, especially now in the final stages of the season, I don't speak to anyone, therefore I haven't had any contact with Real at all.
"And I won't have any until the last league game against Estoril either. Then there's a window of about a week where I'll have the freedom to speak to whoever I feel I want to speak to.
"I'm not sure, but all the stories that have come out, demands, meetings, you know, that's all speculation."
Benfica, who are believed to have an interest in Fulham boss Marco Silva if Mourinho does leave, are currently second with two games left, having won 22, drawn 10 and not lost a single Primeira game all season.
