Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler is excited to welcome Ferdi Kadioglu to his ranks after his move from Fenerbahce was confirmed on Tuesday. 

Kadioglu, who featured in all Turkiye's fixtures in their quarter-final run at Euro 2024, has signed a four-year contract for a reported £25million plus £4.2m in add-ons.

Ahead of their 4-0 victory over Crawley Town in the EFL Cup, Kadioglu was officially unveiled as a Seagulls player to those in attendance at the AMEX Stadium. 

The 24-year-old offers Hurzeler another option at left-back following the departure of Valentin Barco, who joined Sevilla on a season-long loan last week. 

He departs the Turkish Super Lig side after six years, making 204 appearances in all competitions, scoring 18 goals and adding 22 assists in that time.

Kadioglu has already made five appearances for Jose Mourinho's side this season, netting once in their Champions League qualifying fixture against FC Lugano.

"I'm very excited because we are getting an excellent player and a great character," Hurzeler said upon his arrival at the AMEX Stadium. 

"He has great ability, is a strong runner and very good at passing."

Kadioglu becomes the Seagulls' ninth arrival during the transfer window and will be hoping to have an instant impact in the Premier League this weekend. 

Hurzeler's side are one of four sides who have won both of their fixtures of the 2024-25 season, and they travel to the Emirates to face Arsenal on Saturday in hopes of maintaining their excellent start under their new manager. 

Ten-man Lille are through to the Champions League play-offs after edging to a 3-2 aggregate win over Fenerbahce following a 1-1 draw in the second leg on Tuesday.

Bafode Diakate's own goal in second-half stoppage time levelled the aggregate scoreline, but Jonathan David's 118th-minute penalty ensured Les Douges' progress despite Aissa Mandi's red card.

After a slow first half, Lucas Chevalier made a sharp stop in the 54th minute, getting down quickly to keep Ismail Yuksek's low drive out, while Bright Osayi-Samuel almost broke the deadlock with a swerving volley in the 82nd minute.

Eventually, the hosts' pressure paid off, with Jayden Oosterwolde's long throw-in causing problems in the box, and Diakite's deflection ghosted in at the near post, forcing extra time.

The game came back to life in the final 15 minutes, with Mandi receiving a straight red card after catching Irfan Can Kahveci in the side of the head with a high boot.

Lille did not feel the disadvantage though, as David's long-range shot hit Oosterwolde's outstretched arm, and after a VAR review awarded a penalty, the Canadian buried the spot-kick.

Fenerbahce almost forced penalties in the dying seconds as Cenk Tosun lifted a shot over the stranded Chevalier, but he rattled the crossbar, meaning Fenerbahce will play in the Europa League this season. 

Data Debrief: Living life on the edge

Lille may be through to the next round, but that could easily have been a different story.

As the game went on, they started to play for the draw they knew would take them through, only to be punished for a late lapse in concentration after weathering Fenerbahce's 11 shots.

David got his rewards for an impressive performance though - he had the most shots of any player on the pitch (five), generated the highest expected goals (1.29 xG) and had the second-most touches in the box (four).

Youssef En-Nesyri has left Sevilla to join Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce, the Turkish club confirmed on Thursday. 

En-Nesyri, who scored 73 times in 196 appearances for the La Liga side, has signed a five-year deal for a reported €20million fee. 

The 27-year-old had previously spent all of his professional career in Spain, enjoying spells at Malaga and Leganes before finding his best form with Sevilla. 

En-Nesyri helped Los Nervionenses triumph in the Europa League on two occasions, scoring six goals across 15 appearances in those respective campaigns. 

The Morocco international also played a pivotal role in the Atlas Lions' semi-final run at the 2022 World Cup, netting twice in Qatar. 

En-Nesyri's transfer to the 19-time Super Lig champions sees him become their most expensive player, surpassing Cengiz Under's €15million move from Marseille last year. 

 

Jose Mourinho believes his move to Fenerbahce will draw more attention to the Turkish Super Lig.

On Sunday, the 61-year-old was announced as Fenerbahce's new head coach on a two-year deal, his first job since being dismissed by Roma in January.

Turkey is the fifth different nation in which Mourinho has managed, having previously enjoyed stints at Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Tottenham, winning a combined total of eight domestic titles and two Champions Leagues.

Speaking at his first Fenerbahce press conference, Mourinho admitted he expected more people to pay attention to the club now he is in charge.

"One of the things is, I bring attention in with me. More people in Europe will follow the Turkish league," he said.

"I'm coming to work for Turkish football, for Turkish Super Lig. But fundamentally I come for Fenerbahce.

"When people look at me -- I did six finals, I won five of them -- people think immediately big, but I think we have to go step by step."

Fenerbahce finished runners-up in the Turkish Super Lig last season on 99, behind Galatasaray, extending their 10-year wait for a top-flight trophy.

Mourinho has won silverware at all but one of his clubs, only failing to get his hands on a trophy at Spurs.

The Portuguese icon has urged the Fenerbahce fans to push the side to end that wait for a league title.

"I make zero promises [to the Fenerbahce fans] but [promise] a huge commitment, passion, work, empathy in relation to them," he added.

"The way to express that is the way we are going to work. This shirt is going to be my skin, it's an expression that defines my mentality and that I want everyone at the club to have. The main dream is to win the Turkish Super Lig.

"For me, Fenerbahce means ambition.

"The fans don't need to be patient, they need to be mad, they have to be demanding. If the players cannot deal with that pressure, they don't belong at Fenerbahce.

"I want that passion. I want the players to trust me, to know that I am very honest, very direct, sometimes not the nicest guy, but always honest with them."

Jose Mourinho promised Fenerbahce supporters "your dreams are now my dreams" upon his unveiling as the club's new head coach.

The 61-year-old is back in management five months after his departure from Roma, after reportedly putting pen to paper on a two-year deal with the Istanbul giants.

The club teased Mourinho's arrival in the wake of Ismail Kartal’s departure on Friday, with the two-time Champions League winner believed to have verbally agreed to take over on the same day.

Turkey is the fifth different nation in which the Portuguese icon has managed, having also previously enjoyed stints at Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Tottenham.

A domestic title winner in four different countries, Mourinho will now look to follow suit by guiding Fenerbahce to a first Turkish Super Lig triumph in 10 years.

"I want to thank you for your love, the love that I felt from the first moment where my name was first connected with Fenerbahce," he told thousands of supporters who gathered at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium to welcome him.

"Normally, a coach is loved after victories. In this case, I feel that I am loved before victories. That, for me, is a big responsibility that I feel. I promise you that from this moment, I belong to your family. This shirt is my skin.

"Football is a passion and there is no better place to feel that passion. Since the moment I met with [club president] Ali Koc, I wanted to play for you because, in the end, you are the soul of the football club.

"I want to work for Turkish football, I want to work for the Turkish league. I want to help to improve [it] but the most important thing for me is not Turkish football, it's not the Turkish league, it's Fenerbahce.

"To finish, I want to say that from the moment I signed my contract, your dreams are now my dreams."

Jose Mourinho has been confirmed as the new head coach of Fenerbahce.

The Istanbul giants teased Mourinho's arrival in the wake of Ismail Kartal’s departure, and he has reportedly penned a two-year deal with the club.

Kartal took charge of Fenerbahce for three spells, finishing second behind Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Lig last season with 99 points in his final stint.

Reports said Mourinho had verbally agreed to take over on Friday, before the club confirmed his unveiling will take place on Sunday.

Mourinho has been out of work since leaving Roma in January after a two-and-a-half-year spell at the club in which he led them to their first European trophy, winning the Europa Conference League in 2022, while also taking them to the Europa League final the following year.

The 61-year-old had previously enjoyed stints at Porto, Chelsea over two spells, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Tottenham.

During that course, he won a combined eight domestic titles and two Champions Leagues, only failing to lift silverware while at Tottenham.

Mourinho is now tasked with ending Fenerbahce’s 10-year wait for a Super Lig title. 

Leonardo Bonucci has called time on his glittering career, after playing his final game for Fenerbahce.

The decorated defender announced on Saturday that he would retire at the end of the Turkish Super Lig season, which concluded with Ismail Kartal's side inflicting a 6-0 rout on Istanbulspor.

However, it was not quite enough to snatch the title from Galatasaray, who finished three points clear after a 3-1 victory at Konyaspor on the final day.

Bonucci, who signed from Union Berlin in January, was given a wonderful reception as he was presented with a plaque before the game, in which he came on as a 64th-minute substitute.

The 37-year-old enjoyed the most success during his career with Juventus, where he won eight Serie A titles and reached two Champions League finals, while he helped Italy to glory at Euro 2020.

"It was a pleasure for me to be a part of this wonderful family," he said of his time at Fenerbahce on Saturday. "I tried to show my best on and off the field.

A statement on the club website paid tribute to Bonucci, reading: "It was an honour to see a legend like you in a Cubuklu jersey. 

"At this special moment of your career, we would like to thank you on behalf of the entire Fenerbahce family. We wish you successful and healthy days in which you will be a part of football in your future life."

Fenerbahce walked off the pitch and forfeited their Super Cup final with Galatasaray in protest against the Turkish Football Federation.

The club fielded a starting line-up entirely of youth team players for the final against their arch rivals, with their first-team stars training back in Istanbul ahead of Thursday’s Europa Conference League tie at Olympiacos.

However, only one minute and 41 seconds was played at the Sanliurfa GAP Stadium when the Fenerbahce players left the field shortly after Mauro Icardi’s strike with 50 seconds on the clock.

Galatasaray celebrated wildly with their fans after victory was confirmed, while their opponents did not even acknowledge that the final took place on Sunday evening on their social media channels.

In a statement released on the club’s official website, Fenerbahce president Yildirim Ali Koc said: “Our rebellion today, our stance in the Super Cup, is not only about the date of the match or what happened in the last away match.

“It is time for a ‘reset’ for Turkish football. We are in a period when the swamp must be drained and Turkish football must rebuild itself. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel.

“I hope that the justified rebellions of our club and the actions we decided to take out of necessity will ignite the cleansing process that needs to be done.

“This is the time when impartiality, fair competition and sporting ethics must come to the fore.”

Fenerbahce previously announced their intentions to field a team of academy players for the final due to their grievances against the Turkish football governing body.

Fenerbahce players were attacked by Trabzonspor fans after their 3-2 away victory on March 17, which resulted in the Super Lig club receiving a six-match spectator ban and a fine of £74,105.

Trabzonspor appealed against the sanctions following the incident, where 12 people arrested, and were earlier this week reduced to a stadium ban of four games and £11,066 fine.

As a result, Fenerbahce held an extraordinary general meeting with their members where they agreed to request for the Super Cup final to be rearranged once again with a foreign referee, which was rejected by TFF.

The final was originally slated for December 30 last year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but was postponed after both teams planned to wear t-shirts of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk – the original founder of Turkey – in the build-up.

The members voted for the club not to participate in the Turkish Cup for the next two seasons, unless fielding an academy line-up, while also calling for action from FIFA and UEFA against the governing body.

Fred called his time at Manchester United “a true dream” as the Brazil international prepares to complete his move to Fenerbahce.

The 30-year-old midfielder moved to Old Trafford from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2018 and has made 213 appearances for the club.

Fred is now heading to Turkey to join Fenerbahce, who have agreed a deal worth an initial 10million euros (£8.6m) rising to a possible 15m euros (£12.9m).

“Thanks for everything, Manchester United Football Club,” Fred said on social media.

“Today ends one of the most beautiful stages of my career. I lived the dream of wearing the shirt of one of the biggest clubs in the world.

“Going through ups and downs, I leave with the conviction that I always gave my best during all training sessions and games.

“It was five years of a true dream for me and my family. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity. Forever a Red!”

Fred is set to leave Manchester United after a deal worth up to 15million euros was struck with Fenerbahce.

The 30-year-old midfielder moved to Old Trafford from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2018 and has made 213 appearances for the club.

Fred is now heading to Turkey to join Fenerbahce, who have agreed a deal in principle the PA news agency understands is worth an initial 10million euros (£8.6m), rising to a possible 15m euros (£12.9m).

The Brazil international, whose United contract was due to expire next summer, is flying out to Istanbul for a medical on Saturday.

A club statement read: “Manchester United can confirm an agreement in principle has been reached with Fenerbahce for the transfer of Fred.

“The Brazil international is set for a switch to the Turkish Super Lig, subject to a medical, agreeing personal terms and receiving international clearance to process the move.

“The 30-year-old leaves so many positive memories from his time at Old Trafford, where he has been a hugely popular individual, both as a person and as a player.

“Everybody at the club would like to wish the very best of luck to Fred for the future, as we await confirmation that the deal is completed.”

Former Arsenal and Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Ozil has announced his retirement from football at the age of 34.

The 92-cap Germany international, who won the World Cup with his country in 2014, also represented Schalke, Werder Bremen, Fenerbahce and Istanbul Basaksehir during his 17-year career.

Ozil was under contract with Turkish side Basaksehir until the end of the season, but he has called time on his playing career due to a number of injury issues.

"After thoughtful consideration, I'm announcing my immediate retirement from professional football," he wrote in a statement on his personal Twitter account on Wednesday.

"I've had the privilege to be a professional football player for almost 17 years now and I feel incredibly thankful for the opportunity.

"But in recent weeks and months, having also suffered some injuries, it's become more and more clear that it's time to leave the big stage of football."

Ozil started his career with Schalke before moving to fellow Bundesliga side Werder Bremen, where his impressive form across three seasons led to a move to Madrid.

In three campaigns at the Santiago Bernabeu, the German playmaker won a LaLiga title, a Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de Espana.

He joined Arsenal in a big-money deal in September 2013 and was arguably the best number 10 in world football for a period.

Indeed, the 146 chances Ozil created in 2015-16 remains the most ever in a single Premier League campaign.

After seven and a half years in north London, during which time he won four FA Cups, Ozil joined Fenerbahce on a free transfer after his Arsenal contract was terminated.

Ozil spent two largely unsuccessful seasons with Fener before making the switch to Basaksehir, where he had been restricted to just four league appearances this season.

"It has been an amazing journey filled with unforgettable moments and emotions," Ozil added in his statement.

"I want to thank my clubs – Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, Real Madrid, Arsenal FC, Fenerbahce, Basaksehir and the coaches who supported me, plus team-mates who have become friends.

"Special thanks must go to my family members and my closest friends. They have been a part of my journey from day one and have given me so much love and support, through the good times and the bad.

"Thank you to all my fans who have shown me so much love no matter the circumstances and no matter which club I was representing.

"Now I'm looking forward to everything that is in front of me with my beautiful wife, Amine, and my two beautiful daughters, Eda and Ela – but you can be sure that you will hear from me from time to time on my social media channels. See you soon, Mesut!"

At international level, Ozil started all seven of Germany's matches in their triumphant World Cup 2014 campaign.

He scored 23 goals in 92 appearances, the most recent of those caps coming against South Korea at the 2018 World Cup.

Erling Haaland's long-term future has been a source of speculation for months and reports of a release clause in mid-2024 in his Manchester City contract have put Barcelona and Real Madrid on high alert.

The Norwegian was pursued by a host of clubs last off-season, with City winning the race ahead of Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Chelsea, Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Haaland has since scored 25 Premier League goals in 21 appearances and 31 in all competitions after joining City.


TOP STORY – HAALAND SET FOR SPANISH SWITCH NEXT YEAR

Erling Haaland has decided he wants to leave England for Spain next year when the release clause in his City contract can be activated, reports Fichajes.

The report claims Real Madrid and Barcelona are the two viable options for Haaland, who will exit City at the end of the 2023-24 season, with playing in Spain a dream for the 22-year-old.

City's potential sanctions for alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules have also played a part in Haaland believing mid-2024 is the right time to leave.

 

ROUND-UP

- Big-spending Chelsea are set to join the race to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, reports The Telegraph. Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid are already keen on the 19-year-old England international.

- Manchester Evening News claims Manchester United have "genuine interest" in a move for Roma's English striker Tammy Abraham in the next transfer window.

- Barcelona's Ansu Fati will resist overtures from Tottenham, Arsenal and Bayern Munich to remain with the Blaugrana, reports Mundo Deportivo.

- AS reports Tottenham will turn to Sevilla's Morocco international goalkeeper Yassine Bounou in their search for a long-term successor to Hugo Lloris.

- Leicester City have ramped up talks with James Maddison on a new contract amid interest from Newcastle United, Arsenal and Tottenham, claims The Telegraph.

- FotoSpor claims Turkish club Fenerbahce have reached out to Manchester United about signing Mason Greenwood, who is under club investigation despite criminal charges being dropped against him recently.

- Calciomercatoweb reports Massimiliano Allegri could leave his position as Juventus head coach to replace Roberto Mancini in Italy's top job.

Fenerbahce have vowed to aid in the disaster relief efforts after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake killed more than 1,200 people in Turkey and Syria on Monday.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the earthquake – which struck around 04:00 local time, with the epicentre located in the southern Kahramanmaras province – has resulted in 912 deaths in Turkey alone, while Syria's state news agency put the toll there at 320.

Erdogan also put the wounded total at 5,383 but both figures continue to rise, with the Kandilli observatory and earthquake research centre recording over 100 aftershocks.

"About 53 of them over four [on the Richter scale]," Dr Haluk Ozener is quoted as saying by the BBC.

Adana and Gaziantep – the latter being only 20 miles from the epicentre – are among the major cities hit by the quake, which was also felt as far away as Cyprus.

Istanbul-based Fener, one of Turkey's biggest football clubs, are in talks to help in the relief effort as they look to mobilise their members, who they say form the biggest organisation of its kind in the country.

"We are with our country. Our club has started work for the earthquake," read a statement on social media.

"Our club is getting ready to take steps after the earthquake disaster, which was felt in many cities, especially in Kahramanmaras, including in Hatay, Gaziantep, Adana, Osmaniye, Diyarbakır, Malatya and Sanlıurfa, and left the whole of Turkey with sadness.

"As Turkey's largest 'civil society organisation', Fenerbahce Sports Club, which has stood by its country and its citizens, has immediately started to work to take the most beneficial steps in the face of today's national disaster.

"We state that we will stand by our citizens in disaster areas with the action plan we will determine as a result of the negotiations."

Fellow Turkish giants Galatasaray published a list of required items and asked for donations to be handed in at the Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex, with sleeping bags, thermal blankets and baby food among the requested articles.

 

The Cristiano Ronaldo transfer saga may not be finished, with new reports he has agreed to terms on a move to Turkish side Fenerbahce.

Ronaldo, 37, has come off the bench in each of Manchester United's last three wins on the trot, with his only start of the season coming in the 4-0 loss at Brentford.

With the transfer window shut in England, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and most of Europe's top leagues, it seemed like Ronaldo was destined to remain with United until at least January – but the Turkish window remains open until September 8.

 

TOP STORY – RONALDO STILL WANTS OUT OF OLD TRAFFORD, AGREES TO FENERBAHCE MOVE

Turkish Super Lig outfit Fenerbahce could be set for a massive influx of star power after Ajansspor reported Ronaldo has been convinced by the club's Portuguese manager Jorge Jesus to make the jump.

No team in the Super Lig has scored more than Fenerbahce's 13 goals in four games this season, and more firepower could be on the way as club president Ali Koc is reportedly on board with the move, with just last details required to finalise things.

Koc has experience with high-profile signings, having convinced Ronaldo's former Real Madrid team-mate Mesut Ozil to sign last season, collecting eight goals and two assists in 22 league matches before opting to remain in the Super Lig for another campaign, moving to Istanbul Basaksehir.

 

ROUND-UP

– Marca is reporting Paris Saint-Germain offered Manchester City the chance to sign Neymar as the deadline approached, but they declined.

– According to The Athletic, Tottenham had serious interest in Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, but could not thrash out a deal.

– The Manchester Evening News claims the United board vetoed a move for Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech.

– Ajansspor is reporting Fenerbahce are working on a transfer for Leicester City's Turkish centre-back Caglar Soyuncu.

Leicester City still have interest in adding another centre-back, with 27-year-old free agent and Belgian international Jason Denayer their main focus, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Napoli have announced the signing of central defender Kim Min-jae from Fenerbahce, shelling out a reported €19.5million for the South Korea international in a bid to replace Kalidou Koulibaly.

Luciano Spalletti's team finished third in Serie A after threatening a first Scudetto win since the Diego Maradona era last term, conceding the joint-fewest goals in the division (31, alongside Milan).

But the Partenopei have been in the market for reinforcements since they lost defensive colossus Koulibaly to Chelsea in a €40m deal earlier this month.

Kim, who has 42 caps for his country and will hope to feature when they open their World Cup campaign against Uruguay on November 24, is the man Napoli have signed to fill that void after he enjoyed an impressive one-season spell in Turkey.

Having contributed to Fenerbahce conceding just 38 league goals last term, the towering 25-year-old has penned a three-year deal with the option of two further seasons in Italy.

Reports also suggest Kim will have a release clause of €45million.

Napoli begin their 2022-23 Serie A campaign at Verona on August 15 but have endured a troubled off-season, losing both Koulibaly and Lorenzo Insigne during the transfer window, while president Aurelio De Laurentiis confirmed on Saturday that club legend Dries Mertens is also departing.

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