Jose Mourinho’s turbulent spell at Fenerbahce has come to an abrupt end, sparking speculation that the Portuguese tactician could make a sensational return to the Premier League, with Nottingham Forest among the clubs reportedly monitoring his situation.
Fenerbahce confirmed Mourinho’s dismissal on Friday through an official statement on social media, saying: “We have parted ways with Jose Mourinho. We thank him for his efforts and wish him success in his future career.”
The 62-year-old, who took charge of the Istanbul giants in June 2024, was sacked just days after a 1-0 defeat to Benfica in the Champions League play-off second leg ended the club’s dream of returning to Europe’s elite competition after 17 years.
Mourinho’s tenure was marred by inconsistency and controversy. Despite guiding Fenerbahce to a second-place finish behind Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Lig last season, he failed to deliver silverware, crashing out of the Turkish Cup at the quarter-final stage and the Europa League in the round of 16 against Rangers.
Disciplinary problems further soured his reign. He served a four-match ban in February for comments aimed at referees and was later handed a three-match suspension in April after grabbing Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk by the nose during a fiery derby clash.
Behind the scenes, tensions reportedly grew over transfer dealings, with Mourinho said to be frustrated by the club’s recruitment strategy despite summer signings including Nelson Semedo and ex-Aston Villa forward John Durán.
Fenerbahce sit seventh in the Turkish Super Lig with four points from their opening two games, but failure to secure Champions League qualification ultimately sealed Mourinho’s fate.
According to reports from Turkish outlet Spor Arena, Mourinho is now “open” to an offer from Nottingham Forest as he eyes a possible Premier League return. The former Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham boss has previously hinted at ambitions to manage a national team, but a top-flight comeback could prove too tempting to resist.
His departure also comes in a turbulent week for ex-Manchester United managers in Turkey, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer dismissed by Besiktas following their shock Conference League elimination to Lausanne.
Leave a Reply