Mourinho makes Real Madrid transfer demand after Fenerbahce move

Tom Weber

Updated: 3 Jun 2024 15:58 BST
3 min read

Jose Mourinho has joked about signing Arda Guler for his new club Fenerbahce.

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The 'Special One' has a new job just a few months after being sacked by AS Roma, being officially unveiled as Fenerbahce's new manager in front of thousands of supporters on Monday.

The Portuguese legend has signed a two-year contract with the Turkish giants, who, incredibly, only finished the bygone Super Lig season as runners-up to hated rivals Galatasaray despite accumulating 99 points and losing just one game.

Given the huge interest in his arrival, Mourinho was peppered with questions at his first press conference and, naturally, transfers were also discussed. Though the 61-year-old dismissed suggestions that he will try to sign some of his former Roma stars such as Romelu Lukaku and Paulo Dybala, he did announce - albeit jokingly - that he will raid his ex-club Real Madrid.

Mourinho wants Guler

Mourinho revealed his intentions to bring wonderkid Arda Guler back to the club after the youngster became the first Turkish player to win the Champions League - despite not playing a single minute in the competition.

The 19-year-old left Fener to join Real Madrid last summer and, after an injury-disrupted start to life at the Santiago Bernabeu, starred in the final few LaLiga games of the 2023/24 campaign.

Speaking after his unveiling, Mourinho joked that he would be open to Guler returning - if Madrid decide to shoulder most of his salary. "If Arda Guler wants to come, why not? If he loves Fenerbahce, if he comes for free and if Real Madrid pay 75 per cent of his salary, we cannot say no."

This comes off the back of suggestions that the youngster could head out on loan in the summer after struggling for game time in his first season in Spain. Carlo Ancelotti, however, has already announced that he intends to keep the 'special talent' around.