Mourinho's hefty pay in Turkey: Is he one of the highest earners?

In a stunning move, Fenerbahce appointed Jose Mourinho as their new head coach, luring him with an impressive salary package. The club disclosed that Mourinho will earn hefty pay, with his contract extending through the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons.

This announcement marks a significant moment for both Mourinho and Fenerbahce, reflecting the club’s ambitious plans to reclaim domestic and international glory. The club disclosed the deal to Turkey’s Public Disclosure Platform (KAP). However, they failed to mention any specifics about potential bonuses,

Mourinho’s deal includes an annual salary of $11.4 million annually, positioning him among the highest-paid managers in soccer. While the club didn’t mention specifics regarding bonuses, the base salary alone places the boss in the upper echelon of managerial earnings. He is only trailing behind figures like Diego Simeone of Atletico Madrid and Pep Guardiola of Manchester City.

Mourinho received a warm reception in Istanbul, with thousands of Fenerbahce fans attending his unveiling at the Ulker Stadium. The event highlighted the club’s high expectations for the Portuguese tactician known for his successful stints with top European clubs. The list includes Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Tottenham.

Fenerbahce President Ali Koc expressed the club’s enthusiasm about securing Mourinho’s services, emphasizing that their offer was more compelling than those from other interested clubs, including Besiktas. “Mourinho was impressed by our dreams”, Koc stated, underscoring the club’s ambitious vision.

“Other clubs other than us met with Mourinho. Besiktas also contacted him,” Koc told Turkish media. Aziz Yıldırım and Sadettin Saran also met. But we met before all of these. We made a much more suitable offer than the offer made by Aziz Yıldırım and he accepted it. We gave him and his entire team $11.4 million annually”, he confirmed.

Where does Mourinho salary at Fenerbahce place him among world’s top earners?

Mourinho’s salary places him among the highest-paid managers in the world. Diego Simeone of Atletico Madrid remains the top earner with $38 million per year, followed by Pep Guardiola of Manchester City with $25 million.

Following that, Steven Gerrard reportedly has a $19 million deal with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ettifaq. Meanwhile, as per Daily Mail, Arsenal are reportedly trying to get Mikel Arteta for a fee similar to Guardiola’s $25 million, and he still has a year remaining on his contract. Presently, he earns $11.5 million.

If Arteta’s rise brings his transfer fee close to $25 million, Mourinho would be in sixth position with $11.4 million. As far as anybody could tell, Jurgen Klopp, Allegri, Thomas Tuchel, and Pochettino were all on more than that last season. But now that they have all left their posts, Mourinho can make a break for the top five.

What can Mourinho bring to Turkish scene?

Fenerbahce finished second in the Turkish Super Lig last season. They narrowly missed the title by three points to their arch-rivals Galatasaray. The club also made it to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League, only to be eliminated by Olympiacos. Mourinho’s primary task will be to break the club’s league title drought; and to make a significant impact in European competitions. This trophy drought has lasted since 2014.

The club will participate in the Champions League qualifiers in July, providing Mourinho an early opportunity to test his squad against top-tier European competition. His arrival is seen as a pivotal move to elevate the team’s performance and stature on both domestic and international stages.

The Portuguese’s illustrious career includes winning the UEFA Champions League twice—first with Porto in 2004 and then with Inter in 2010. He has also claimed numerous domestic titles across Portugal, England, Italy, and Spain. Most recently, he guided Roma to a Europa Conference League victory in 2022.

Despite his extensive list of achievements, the 61-year-old tenure in Italy’s capital ended in January 2024, with Daniele De Rossi taking over. Both triumphs and controversies marked his time with the Giallorossi, a common theme throughout his career.

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