Jose Mourinho is not the only familiar face Manchester United will meet during Thursday’s Europa League clash with Fenerbahce.
As is the tradition over in Turkey, the Istanbul giants are home to a whole host of players casual observers might have cast from their minds.
See Caglar Soyuncu, once one of the Premier League’s most promising centre-halves at Leicester City. There is Cenk Tosun too, a striker Everton paid £27 million for.
Manchester United needed Aaron Wan-Bissaka to be at his tough-tackling best to keep Allan Saint-Maximin quiet in that 2-0 EFL Cup final victory over Newcastle back in 2023, furthermore, while Edin Dzeko had David de Gea picking the ball out of his net on multiple occasions during his Man City heyday.
There are two more familiar names in Jose Mourinho’s roster too.
A midfield duo who – after one replaced the other at Old Trafford – are now playing together in the heart of the Fenerbahce engine room.
Fred and Sofyan Amrabat criticised ahead of Manchester United vs Fenerbahce
One year after Fred brought an end to his Man United tenure – the popular Brazilian joining Fenerbahce to the tune of £13 million – Sofyan Amrabat arrived from Fiorentina with the Red Devils opting not to turn his loan into a permanent transfer.
But while Fred enjoyed a stellar debut season in Turkey, and while Mourinho has been full of praise for Amrabat’s impact, both players are set to welcome their old employers to the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium some way short of their best.
Fred scored a remarkable hat-trick against Caykur Rizespor in August but his displays since then have left a lot to be desired. Amrabat, meanwhile, is facing similar criticisms to the one that came his way at Old Trafford.
Yes, the Moroccan can distribute the ball neatly. But is that all he really has in his locker?
“Amrabat has a clean foot but he is very ineffective in the attack, because he is too far behind [the frontline],” former Turkey striker Nihat Kahveci tells Sporx in his pre-match analysis.
“Fred is out of form. He loses the ball a lot. Maybe he is unhappy with his role. I don’t doubt Fred’s professionalism but there is no trace of the Fred of last year.”
Fred backs Jose Mourinho to bring success to Fenerbahce
Mourinho, who led Man United to a treble of sorts with the EFL Cup, the Community Shield and the Europa League during the 2016/17 season, was appointed by Fenerbahce in the summer in the hope of seizing the crown from the heads of Istanbul rivals Galatasaray.
However, with only five wins from eight games, Fenerbahce are already trailing their neighbours by eight points, albeit they do still have a game in hand.
But Fred, brought to Old Trafford on Mourinho’s watch in a £52 million deal from Shakhtar Donetsk six years ago, is backing the veteran tactician to silence his doubters.
“There is no need to talk about Jose Mourinho’s quality. Everyone knows what he has achieved. He is a great coach and I am grateful to him,” Fred, working under the Portuguese for a second time, told reporters this week.
“Mourinho was one of the names who took me to Manchester United. He called me when I was playing for Shakhtar Donetsk and said he wanted me to transfer to Manchester United. After the call from Mourinho, I couldn’t say no.
“I was at Fenerbahce and he is here now, so we are together again. I am happy to work with Mourinho. He is a wonderful and respectful person.
“He is a coach who brings a lot to the team and the players.”
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