Jose Mourinho has reportedly agreed to become the next manager of Fenerbahce. The combative coach most recently coached Italian side Roma. Despite guiding the club to the Europa Conference title in 2022, Mourinho was fired from the position back in January. Roma sat ninth in the Serie A table at the time but received a significant boost after the managerial change. Daniele De Rossi took the team up to sixth in the final standings.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Mourinho and Fenerbahce officials already have a verbal agreement in place. The soccer transfer specialist claims the Portuguese coach will head to Turkey on a two-year contract. This means that Mourinho would be in place with his new club until at least June of 2026. There will also apparently be an option for an additional season in the deal.
Although paperwork still needs to be sorted out, an official announcement regarding the move could be revealed as early as Friday. Mourinho would replace Ismail Kartal as Fenerbahce’s manager. The Turkish coach is currently in his third stint as the team’s head coach. While he has previously collected silverware with the team, Kartal has failed to win the Turkish Super Lig title. The veteran coach’s current contract at the club is set to expire in June.
Portuguese coach typically wins trophies, but also delivers headaches
Mourinho is typically seen as one of the top soccer coaches in the world. After all, he has lifted trophies with practically every team he has ever managed. His relatively short spell at Tottenham Hotspur happens to be his only destination since 2002 where he failed to win a title.
Outside of the north London club, Mourinho has won over 20 significant trophies in his managerial career. This massive success initially started with Porto when he shocked the sporting world by collecting the 2003/04 Champions League title. He then moved on to grab multiple trophies at Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and Manchester United.
Despite these triumphs, Mourinho is no stranger to controversies. The coach has never been afraid to speak his mind, which has led to several fines and suspensions throughout his career. He also has a history of departing clubs in the third year under contract. While initially providing teams with trophies, Mourinho eventually falls apart and leaves clubs. The pending two-year deal with Fenerbahce may, however, help the coach avoid a similar situation in Turkey.
Mourinho will have solid squad at his new club
Fenerbahce is widely seen as either the top or second-best coaching job in Turkey. Alongside rivals Galatasaray, the Canaries have a long and successful history in the nation. Fenerbahce has collected 19 total Super Lig titles and seven Turkish Cups.
Although they finished runners-up in the most recent campaign, the Canaries currently have the best offense in Turkey. Fenerbahce managed to score 99 total goals in league play throughout the 2023/24 campaign. While Mourinho is typically a more defensive-minded coach, he will certainly have a fairly talented squad to work with. The Canaries are currently led by star striker Edin Dzeko and playmaker Dusan Tadic.
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