Mourinho will manage Real Madrid 'sooner or later' - Calderon

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has told ESPN FC that Jose Mourinho will return to the club as manager "sooner or later."

Julen Lopetegui was brought in as a replacement for Zinedine Zidane in the summer after the Frenchman had stepped down on the back of winning three Champions League titles in a row. 

However, following a run of one win in six matches, there are reports the former Spain boss could face the sack heading into Sunday's Clasico.

One of the names touted as a potential replacement is Mourinho -- and Calderon said it is only a matter of time before the Manchester United boss returns to the Bernabeu, given his relationship with Florentino Perez.

If this president is with the team for a few years, and I think he will be, Mourinho will be here, he said. No doubt. It's the only coach the president has respected.

For better or worse. I think he will be here -- if he leaves Manchester, of course. But sooner or later, I think he will be here.

Calderon also labelled Real Madrid's decision to sell Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus for €100 million as a "historic mistake."

Calderon was the man behind the deal which brought Ronaldo to Spain from United in 2009 -- though it was at the start of Perez's second term that the move eventually happened. 

The Portugal international finally left the Santiago Bernabeu earlier this year after scoring 450 goals in nine years.

ESPN