Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly interested in securing January deals for fringe squad members at Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur.
Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has reportedly identified Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur players as potential January transfer targets.
Mourinho faces an uphill task to dethrone Galatasaray in his first campaign, Fenerbahce currently sitting points adrift of the leaders in the Super Lig standings with a game in hand.
A return of 16 points from a possible 21 can be viewed as a positive, however, while four points have been accumulated from two matches in the Europa League.
Although Mourinho made a number of high-profile additions soon after his arrival in Turkey, there is an acceptance that more fresh faces may be required at the midway point of the season.
Despite the presence of the legendary Portuguese, a balance may need to be struck when it comes to who Fenerbahce try to sign from bigger clubs.
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Mourinho an admirer of Fati
According to AS, Mourinho holds an interest in trying to negotiate a deal for Barcelona winger Ansu Fati.
The academy graduate has dropped down the pecking order at the Catalan giants in recent seasons, most notably spending 2023-24 on loan at Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.
Having initially being prevented from trying to impress new head coach Hansi Flick, the 21-year-old has since made three substitute appearances in La Liga and the Champions League.
While the current indication is that he will earn more opportunities as the season progresses, it remains to be seen how Barcelona would react to a formal proposal in January.
Club officials would need to determine whether they would be prepared to facilitate a loan exit and what fee it would take to strike such a deal.
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Exiled Spurs player an option
The report suggests that Tottenham Hotspur defender Sergio Reguilon is also on Mourinho’s radar ahead of the turn of the year.
Aside from being an unused substitute against Coventry City in the EFL Cup last month, the left-back has not been selected in any other squad.
With his contract expiring in 2025 and there being minimal chance of an extension, Spurs will be prepared to cut ties with the Spain international in January.
From Reguilon’s perspective, he will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club, giving him options of a permanent switch in January, a loan or becoming a free agent in July.