José Mourinho is reportedly prepared to terminate a Fenerbahçe player’s contract following the team’s exit from the Champions League qualifiers.
After signing a lucrative two-year deal with the Istanbul-based club, Mourinho brought in ten new players, including Allan Saint-Maximin on loan and Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri. However, the Portuguese manager faced an early setback when Fenerbahçe failed to advance in the Champions League, losing 3-2 on aggregate to Lille and dropping into the Europa League.
In response to the disappointing outcome, Mourinho has allegedly decided that one player no longer fits into his plans. According to Doruk Tecimer of TRT Sport, 32-year-old João Pedro has been excluded from the first team and is currently on leave. The Brazilian, who joined Fenerbahçe from Cagliari in 2022, spent last season on loan at Grêmio in Brazil. Reports suggest that the club is in negotiations to terminate his contract, which runs until 2025, though Pedro is reportedly insisting on receiving his €3 million salary in full.
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Despite this setback, Mourinho secured a 1-0 victory in his first Super Lig match against Adana Demirspor and is aiming for another win against Göztepe on Saturday. Reflecting on the Champions League exit, Mourinho expressed that the Europa League might be a more suitable competition for Fenerbahçe at this stage, though he criticized the new format changes.
“You play eight matches, four at home, four away,” Mourinho remarked. “It’s strange, but it is what it is. I think money makes decisions, and we have to adapt. The Champions League would have been great for the club and players, but we would never have gone very far in the competition. The Europa League is more suited to our level, and I want to instill ambition in the team to do well.”