Jose Mourinho wants to make Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg his first signing at Fenerbahce as the Portuguese seeks a reunion in Turkey.
Mourinho may well provide Hojbjerg an escape route out of Spurs and a route to playing regular, first-team football. According to Sabah, the new Fenerbahce coach sees his former midfield general as key to transforming his new side.
With the addition of Hojbjerg playing next to Fred, Mourinho can field an ex-Premier League duo of players he previously coached.
At Spurs and under the Portuguese coach’s stewardship, Hojbjerg became a leader and mainstay in midfield. Since Mourinho’s departure, Hojbjerg has gradually slipped down the pecking order and has become a peripheral figure in north London with Ange Postecoglou preferring the likes of Pape AMatar Sarr, Yves Bissouma and Oliver Skipp at the base of midfield.
Mourinho will be tasked with returning Fenerbahce to the top of the Super Lig, but their rivals have also appointed a new coach.
Besiktas have hired Barcelona hero Giovanni van Bronckhorst as their new boss ahead of the new season. Meanwhile, Okan Buruk will remain in charge of league champions Galatasaray.
Fenerbahce and Spurs will engage in negotiations to see if a deal can be struck to take the Danish veteran to Istanbul. Mourinho will want to revitalise a side that finished on 99 points but still lost out on the Super Lig title last season.
