How ex-Man Utd trio of Fred, Sofyan Amrabat, and Jose Mourinho is faring at Fenerbahce

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When Erik ten Hag takes his Manchester United side to Turkey to face Fenerbahce and get his first win in the Europa League, some familiar faces will be standing as roadblocks.

Of course, the marquee man, just as he likes, is manager Jose Mourinho, who would look at the backing provided to Erik ten Hag and be allowed to feel a little jealousy.

Then there’s Fred, who was sold by Ten Hag to Fenerbahce after his debut season as he sought to implement a different type of game at Old Trafford.

It is perhaps ironic, then, that the midfielder who arrived in that same window three weeks later also finds himself at Fenerbahce, as Sofyan Amrabat joined the Turkish team in this season’s transfer window after Manchester United didn’t exercise their buy clause.

All three will have a point to prove vs United as they all relish landing a hit on the club which is already teetering on the brink of a collapse.

Here’s how the ex-United trio has been getting on at Fenerbahce-

Fred

Not many tears were shed when Fred left the club as Man Utd fans liked the Brazilian for his work ethic and professionalism but conceded the fact that he lacked true world-class ability.

It was accepted at the point that this was the kind of ruthless move the club needed to make to get the team to the next level.

However, since leaving the club, Fred has been a big success at Fenerbahce. As a player who was known the most for just working hard, he has become a prolific contributor from midfield in the Turkey.

He had 32 goal involvements in 213 games at Old Trafford (14 goals and 18 assists) but at Fenerbahce, he already has 17 after just 45 games.

This season alone he has three goals and three assists in ten games, including a hat trick that had the United fans looking on in disbelief.

He has developed a knack for arriving late into the box and Fenerbache generally dominating the games, especially last season, has been a big bonus for him as he has to do less running around chasing shadows in midfield.

This move has been a bonafide success.

Sofyan Amrabat

Sofyan Amrabat was looked at as a smart utility signing when he joined from Fiorentina but he arguably came to Old Trafford in the worst possible circumstances.

Injuries hit his teammates, and the bug caught him too. The Moroccan was never really able to play a clear role in a stable team and as a result, he struggled throughout.

At least he got a nice farewell with the FA Cup win and he performed well in the final which kept the door open for his permanent return.

United set their sights higher on a more long-term prospect and signed Manuel Ugarte instead so Amrabat joined Fred in Turkey on loan with a mandatory purchase option.

He has yet to take the league by storm or play consistently for Fenerbahce and at his best, he has been a useful contributor in his appearances.

With six appearances in all competitions, he has become a reliable hand for Mourinho to call upon to shore up the midfield and his assist in the Europa League was highlight-worthy.

That remains his only goal contribution as he has settled into a no-fuss, unassuming deep midfield role. United didn’t miss out on much.

Jose Mourinho

Of course, the biggest box office attraction is the man in the dugout, as Mourinho will face Erik ten Hag’s United for the first time since the Dutchman rocked up at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag recently praised Mourinho and even though the feeling will be mutual, the Portuguese manager is too good at mind games to talk straight.

For all the doubts about his ability, there still aren’t many better at getting results in a one-off game. Mourinho joined Fenerbahce at the start of this season, taking over a team that won 99 points last season but missed out on the title.

The job wasn’t easy against Galatasaray’s Goliath but Mourinho is still under pressure in Turkey due to subpar results and performances.

His team are fourth in the table, already eight points behind Galatasaray with a game in hand and the results are far from good enough.

There have been the usual box-office moments of bookings, scuffles with referees, shade thrown at other managers, and whatnot, but ultimately, wins keep a manager strong and there haven’t been enough of those.

The football world has increasingly looked like it has moved on from Mourinho but there are not many entities more dangerous than Mourinho with something to prove.

The football world can be given a reminder about his qualities with a result here.