According to Turkish media, Fenerbahçe head coach José Mourinho has excluded the player Cengiz Ünder, who has made 51 appearances for the Turkish national team, from his plans for the squad.
“The Special One” arrived in Turkey this season. Despite Fenerbahçe being one of the most popular teams in Turkey, they have not won a league title since the 2013-2014 season. Mourinho signed a two-year contract with Fenerbahçe at a significant annual salary.
Mourinho’s debut was in the second round of Champions League qualifiers, home and away against the Swiss team Lugano. Fenerbahçe won the first leg 4-3 and the second leg at home 2-1, advancing to the third round where they will face French side Lille.
Mourinho appears to have found the direction for his future tactics in these two games, as he has excluded Ünder from the Champions League squad list and also from his future plans for the team.
Ünder joined Fenerbahçe last season from Marseille, marking his first return to his parent club in his career. The left-footed winger never fully realized his potential during his stints at Roma, Leicester City, and Marseille. Despite several injury absences last season, he still provided offensive firepower for the team.
However, he continued to struggle with injuries and inconsistent form, eventually fading out of the Turkish national team and missing out on the Euro 2024 squad.
The reason Mourinho has excluded Ünder from his plans is not due to his physical condition but rather because he believes Ünder contributes insufficiently in defense. For Mourinho, support from wing-backs and pressing when tracking back are essential elements.
Ünder seemingly never had Mourinho’s favor from the start, and the likelihood of him being utilized in the future is close to zero. Despite signing Ünder for commercial reasons last summer, Fenerbahçe may sell him after just one year.