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Veteran Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus plans to leave Saudi side Al Nassr at the end of the season and is reportedly open to a possible return to Istanbul club Fenerbahçe S.K., according to reports.
The 71-year-old manager reportedly informed Al Nassr officials of his decision ahead of the AFC Champions League Two final, while a meeting with Fenerbahce has been scheduled for the end of May in Lisbon to discuss the Turkish club’s offer.
Jesus is still competing for both the Saudi Pro League title and the continental trophy and wants to complete the season with silverware before departing, according to Portuguese outlet A Bola.
The report noted that the offer from the Istanbul side is considered highly attractive by the experienced manager and could become the highest salary of his coaching career, exceeding the €15 million ($17.4 million) annual wage he reportedly earned during his time at Al Hilal.
Jesus reportedly responded positively to the proposal after deciding to leave Al Nassr, while he has also been linked with the Portugal national team job amid speculation over Roberto Martinez’s future following the FIFA World Cup, the report noted.
Jorge Jesus managed Fenerbahce during the 2022-23 season after signing a one-year contract in June 2022. He led the Istanbul club to the Turkish Cup title before leaving at the end of the campaign.
However, despite averaging 2.23 points per game, one of the highest figures recorded by a foreign coach in Fenerbahce history, he failed to end the club’s eight-year Super Lig title drought, finishing behind archrival Galatasaray in the title race.
One of the most memorable moments of Jesus’ spell at Fenerbahce came during a press conference in which he openly questioned the integrity of the Turkish league.
"Matches should be won on the pitch, not at the table. The Super Lig has no sporting credibility because matches are not won on the field," he said at the time. Then-Fenerbahce president Ali Koc later echoed similar concerns, alleging that an organized structure was influencing Turkish football in favor of Galatasaray.
Even though the Yellow Canaries’ Super Lig title drought stretched to 12 years by the end of the 2025-26 season, Fenerbahce remains the second-most successful club in league history with 19 championships.
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