Two-time Uefa Champions League winner Jose Mourinho has said he is heading for “new adventures” as speculation mounts that Fenerbahce are about to appoint the Portuguese as their new manager.
Mourinho, who has been out of work since being sacked by Roma in January, is about to take over at the 19-time Turkish champions, according to widespread reports.
“New stuff for new adventures,” Mourinho said in an Instagram post on Friday, sharing a photo of himself grinning while receiving new clothes.
Current Fenerbahce manager Ismail Kartal is not expected to have his contract renewed despite losing only one of his 38 Turkish Super Lig games this season and amassing 99 points.
A 1-0 win at Galatasaray in their penultimate match of the season was not enough to deny their bitter rivals the title by three points at the end of the third straight season in which Fenerbahce have finished second.
A right-back during a 10-year playing career at the club, Kartal is in his third spell at the helm of the Yellow Canaries, having previously been their assistant manager.
Should he succeed Kartal, Mourinho will be reunited with several of his former players including Edin Dzeko – whom he managed at Roma before the striker was sold to Inter – as well as Fred, whom he signed for Manchester United.
Mourinho will also be familiar with 23-goal Michy Batshuayi, who had a six-year spell at Stamford Bridge after his second reign at Stamford Bridge ended.
Mourinho next job: Fenerbahce?
Mourinho had been linked with a job in Saudi Arabia and has agreed to appear on UK broadcaster TNT Sports’ coverage of the Uefa Champions League Final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
Image-savvy Mourinho frequently uses his Instagram account, which has more than 4.5 million followers, to post about his activities, sponsors and news, including a Netflix documentary about him scheduled for 2025.
When he was dismissed by Roma following a patchy run of form as part of a tenure of more than two-and-a-half years, Mourinho described his career with the Italian side as “sweat, blood, tears, joy, sadness, love, brothers, history, heart, eternity”.
The post has received more than 1.3 million likes. Mourinho guided Roma to the inaugural Uefa Europa Conference League title in 2021/22 and the Europa League final the following season.
