Jose Mourinho has been dismissed by Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce just six games into the new season, following their failure to reach the Champions League group stage.
The 62-year-old Portuguese coach was shown the door after Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat to Benfica in the play-off round. Fenerbahce confirmed the news in a statement thanking Mourinho for his work since his appointment in May 2024 and wishing him success in future roles.
Mourinho’s relationship with the club hierarchy had been strained for weeks. Turkish outlet Spor Arena reported that his outspoken criticism of Fenerbahce’s transfer strategy was the breaking point. Ahead of the Benfica tie, Mourinho remarked: “If the Champions League was vital to my club, something would have been done with the transfer window between Feyenoord and Benfica. I don’t think Fenerbahce has a transfer list.”
Executives accused Mourinho of “distorting facts”, insisting he had only requested Milan Skriniar and failed to provide a broader recruitment plan. The club argued that they had strengthened with signings such as Nelson Semedo and John Duran, but these moves did not meet the manager’s expectations.
In his sole full season in Istanbul, Mourinho guided Fenerbahce to a runners-up finish behind Galatasaray in the Super Lig, but fell short in both domestic and European competitions. His dismissal marks the end of his 11th managerial tenure.
The timing of his departure comes as another former Manchester United boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, was also sacked in Turkey after Besiktas’ European exit. With United’s current head coach Ruben Amorim under pressure following a Carabao Cup defeat to League Two side Grimsby Town, speculation has already begun about whether Mourinho could be considered for a sensational return to Old Trafford.