Mourinho accused of snubbing Turkish players amid selection storm at Fenerbahce
Jose Mourinho is facing fresh accusation over his player selections at Fenerbahce, with Turkish football figure Sergen Yalçın alleging that the Portuguese tactician “has a problem with Turkish players.”
Yalçın, a former Fenerbahce midfielder and respected voice in Turkish football, made the claims amid Mourinho’s latest suspension, part of a three-match touchline ban after an altercation with Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk.
Speaking on national TV, Yalçın criticized Mourinho’s treatment of local talent, pointing to multiple high-profile Turkish internationals who have fallen down the pecking order.
He cited winger Cengiz Ünder, signed at significant cost as a primary example:
“Fenerbahce paid a fortune for Cengiz. Where is he now? He’s neither at the club nor in the national team. He’s disappeared,” Yalçın said.
He also highlighted the absence of key Turkish players like Ismail Yüksek, İrfan Can Kahveci, and others, arguing that their marginalization contradicts their established quality and previous contributions.
Despite the talks, Mourinho’s Fenerbahce remain firmly in the Super Lig title race, trailing arch-rivals Galatasaray by just three points.
