Manchester United supporters know from experience the heartbreak of missing out on a title in such circumstances.
However, despite their disastrous final day loss and the Premier League championship going to Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers instead, the Red Devils were never nearly as unfortunate.
They won 31 of their 38 league games, lost none, and finished empty-handed, never reaching 99 points. But in 2023–2024, that’s what happened to one former Manchester United midfielder.
It’s hard to imagine Fred could have accomplished much more in his first season at Fenerbahce, the Turkish powerhouse.
Of his 25 first-team appearances for the Istanbul giants, the £13 million summer acquisition was on the winning side 23 times.
In fact, the only frustration is that Fred did not feature more often. Had the Brazil international not suffered the odd injury issue, Fenerbahce may have broken the 100-point barrier, beating bitter rivals Galatasaray by a nose rather than losing out on a photo finish.
Fred reunited with former Manchester United manager
But if the hiring of a certain Jose Mourinho is any indication, Fenerbahce won’t stop until they reclaim the Super Liga title. With Fener president Ali Koc announcing that neither Fred nor any of his team’s star players will be transferred absent a “astronomic” offer, the 31-year-old is unexpectedly reunited with the man who first brought him to Manchester United back in 2018.
“We achieved good things with (sporting director) Mario Branco last season. Mario Branco will continue with us this season,” Koc begins, speaking to Tele 1about the man who played such a key role in Fred’s switch from England to Istanbul.
“Irfan Can, Fred, Ferdi (Kadioglu), (Bright) Osayi (Samuel) will all remain in the team unless an extraordinary astronomical figure is reached.
“We will build an even stronger team next year. Our squad is already very strong. The quality of our squad is evident from the current interest in our players.”
In all competitions last season, Fred scored three goals and assisted on eight more; his influence was compared to that of basketball great Michael Jordan when he played for the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. It remains to be seen if Fred and Mourinho can make Fenerbahce into brides, just as Jordan did in his NBA glory days, but Galatasaray, the current champions, would be unwise to sit back and take it all too easy given Koc’s ambition.
Fenerbahce hire Jose Mourinho to take down Galatasaray
“You are witnessing the transformation of the last two years,” the president adds, Fenerbahce picking up 26 more points this year than they did in 2021/22.
“I think you feel that there is hope at the end of the tunnel, that the light is shining brightly, because we feel it. We will beat the system next season. And, once we break that glass ceiling, championships will come one after another.”
Mourinho, one of the most decorated managers in football history let alone the 21st century, arrives at a Fenerbahce side who have lifted just one Turkish Cup in the last decade.
“Normally a coach is loved after victories. In this case, I feel that love before victories,” beams Mourinho, greeted like a god by one of Europe’s most vociferous fanbases. “And that for me is a big responsibility that I feel.
“I promise you that, from this moment, I belong to this family. This shirt is my skin,” adds the Portuguese, as charismatic as ever.
“Since the moment I met president Ali Koc and understood his ideas and projects, I wanted to play for you. I want to be the coach of all of you.
“From the moment I signed my contract, your dreams are now my dreams.
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