Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Fenerbahce, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jose Mourinho, Al Nassr
Chris Nee
Jose Mourinho is planning to raid Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr for a teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo as he seeks to bolster his creative options as the manager of Fenerbahce.
Al-Nassr are third in the Pro League table after ten games and will be reluctant to allow key players to leave in January with a gap of six points currently separating them from league leaders Al-Hilal. Former Manchester United and Chelsea manager Mourinho reportedly has other ideas.
After eleven matches, the Turkish top two are the same as the final league table in 2023-24, with Mourinho and Fenerbahce looking up at rivals Galatasaray and in need of a difference-maker.
Ronaldo's tally of six goals this season is matched by Anderson Talisca, whose goals-per-game record is better than the Portuguese. Talisca has scored one penalty compared to Ronaldo's four. According to transfer reporter Rudy Galetti, the Brazilian is open to a move away from Saudi Arabia and Fenerbahce have made their interest known to Al-Nassr.
Mourinho's attacking midfield and wing alternatives include Allan Saint-Maximin, himself on loan from Saudi club Al-Ahli, Polish international Sebastian Szymanski, and captain Dušan Tadić. The addition of Talisca would be expected to improve the supply line to Fenerbahce's varied striking options.
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Ronaldo isn't the only player whose ire is risked by Mourinho but he won't much care about the opinion of Galatasaray skipper Fernando Muslera, who's grown tired of Mourinho's frequent diatribes about refereeing and suggested Mourinho should leave Turkish football. He's been punished for his comments after a Super Lig win against Trabzonspor earlier this month.
30-year-old Talisca has caught the eye in the Saudi Pro League and Fenerbahce are reportedly keen to take a chance on him after 62 goals in 77 league games since he moved from Chinese Super League side Guangzhou in 2021. He previously played in Istanbul in a loan spell to Besiktas from Benfica.
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Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in 2023 after concluding his second spell at Manchester United. He's yet to capture the Saudi Arabia league title and losing Talisca to Fenerbahce in the winter transfer window would be a big blow in his quest to put that right under new manager Stefano Pioli.