Chelsea legend Jose Mourinho was announced as the new Fenerbahce Manager on Sunday, following his earlier dismissal from AS Roma this year.
The former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur Manager has ended his three-month break from coaching to take charge of the Turkish Super Lig team next season. His appointment was announced after he appeared as a pundit during the Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid on Saturday.
Mourinho returns to management after leading AS Roma to a historic Europa Conference League victory against Feyenoord. Despite this success, he was replaced by Daniele De Rossi just a few months before reaching his third anniversary with the Italian club.
Fenerbahce finished second in the Turkish league last season, losing only once and accumulating 99 points but still falling short of the title, which went to rivals Galatasaray. This outcome led to the departure of head coach Ismail Kartal and paved the way for Mourinho’s arrival.
According to Fanatik, Mourinho will earn a staggering €10 million (£8.5 million) per year, which translates to approximately £163,000 per week, excluding bonuses. His assistants will reportedly receive €2 million (£1.7 million) annually.
Upon his unveiling, Mourinho expressed his gratitude and commitment to Fenerbahce fans, saying, “First of all, I want to thank you for your love. Normally, a coach is loved after victories, but in this case, I feel I am loved before victories. This is a big responsibility for me, and I promise you that from this moment, I belong to your family. This shirt is my skin. Football is passion, and there is no better place to feel that passion.”
He continued, “Since the moment I met with the president, I wanted to play for you because, in the end, you are the soul of the football club. I understood his project and I want to be the coach of all of you. I want to work for Turkish football. I want to work for the Turkish league, which I want to improve, but the most important thing is not Turkish football or the league—it is Fenerbahce.”
With Mourinho at the helm, Fenerbahce aims to make a significant impact in the Turkish Super Lig and the Champions League next season.
