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Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho has reached a preliminary agreement with the Portuguese Football Federation to take over the national team, Türkiye's mainstream Haberturk TV reported Thursday.
According to Habertürk TV's sports news manager Ahmet Selim Kul , despite having one more year on his contract with Fenerbahce and the club’s management publicly backing him despite the fan backlash, speculation around Mourinho’s next move is growing. He stated during a live TV show that Mourinho is taking concrete steps to join the Portuguese Football Federation.
The agreement with the Portuguese federation is reportedly set to come into effect after the UEFA Nations League matches in early June.
The federation is said to be unwilling to pay compensation to Fenerbahce, and Mourinho has reportedly requested a smooth exit.
This season, the 62-year-old coach has led Fenerbahçe in 53 matches, recording 33 wins, 12 draws, and eight losses, with an average of 2.09 points per game.
Fenerbahce president Ali Koc has dismissed growing calls for his resignation, stating he does not believe stepping down is the right course of action at this time. Speaking to TRT Spor on May 7, Koc responded to a fan-led signature campaign calling for his departure by saying, “I do not find resigning appropriate. The petition campaign is a democratic right, and I respect that.”
Highlighting the club’s efforts this season, Koc emphasized the scale of Fenerbahce’s investments. “We assembled the highest-budget squad in our history and signed one of the best managers in world football—Jose Mourinho. Players everyone said ‘would never come’ joined Fenerbahce. That did not happen by accident.”
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