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Fenerbahce president Ali Koc has finally explained Jose Mourinho’s sacking, describing it as a "bitter parting" but admitting his style of play was no longer acceptable. Mourinho, dismissed after only a year in charge, paid the price for his defensive tactics, with Koc insisting the team needed a more dominant approach going forward.

• Mourinho sacked after Fenerbahce’s UCL exit
• Koc says defensive style was 'unacceptable'
• Club now targeting more attacking approach

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mourinho was dismissed by Fenerbahce on August 29 after just over a year in charge. The decision followed a Champions League play-off defeat to Benfica, who progressed with a narrow 1-0 aggregate win. Despite Mourinho’s record of 37 wins in 62 games, the board felt his conservative football was holding the team back, and Koc has now confirmed the exact reason for the Portuguese coach's dismissal.

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  WHAT KOC SAID

  Speaking to Turkish outlet Hurriyet, Fenerbahce president Koc said: "Why did we let go of Mourinho? I'm explaining it here for the first time. It was a bitter parting. Our chemistry was perfect, and his accomplishments are evident. Just being able to bring him here was a great achievement.

  "Above all, it was difficult to part with someone I was friends with. We knew our coach was a defensive player when we brought him in. But we talked about the need to play more dominantly at the end of the season. Earning 99 goals and 99 points is our genetic code.

  "Being eliminated by Benfica wasn't a problem, but the way we were eliminated was unacceptable. This made me feel like last year's football would continue.

  "We parted ways because we believed this squad would play better football at this point. This kind of football works in Europe, but in Turkey, we have to crush them in most matches. We're struggling to get ahead after falling behind in every match."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mourinho’s departure marks another setback in his decorated managerial career. The Portuguese enjoyed great success as Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, but struggled in spells with Manchester United, Tottenham and Roma before heading to Turkey. It remains to be seen where Mourinho will go next after failing to deliver any silverware at Fenerbahce. 

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Koc also revealed that Fenerbahce had been targeting a move for former Italy boss Luciano Spalletti to replace Mourinho, adding: “Spalletti was our first choice, but he has decided not to work as a coach this season.

  “Due to the large number of foreign players in our team, we feel that the coach ought to be someone foreign with European experience. We’re in contact with several options and will announce our new coach very soon.”

Next season feels like it’s going to be a massive one for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s side are coming off a brilliant campaign in which they secured Champions League football, won the Conference League and even beat Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the Club World Cup.

Add to that the brilliant work the club have been doing in the transfer market by signing players like Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens, and it’s hard not to see them taking another step forward.

Moreover, the West Londoners appear to be looking to do even more in the market, with links to Xavi Simons heating up in recent days.

However, to bring him in, they may need to offload another attacker first, or simultaneously.

Why Chelsea would want to sign Simons

Chelsea have been linked with Simons for what feels like a couple of weeks now, but it’s been in the last few days that things have started to heat up, with some reports claiming personal terms have already been agreed, and that RB Leipzig are holding out for a fee of around £61m.

Now, that is most certainly a lot of money, but with how well the Dutchman has played in recent seasons, and the potential so many believe him to possess, that could be a fee that looks like fair value a few years from now.

For example, in just 33 games last season, totalling just 2763 minutes, the 22-year-old “game-changer,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored 11 goals and provided eight assists.

Simons in 24/25

Appearances

33

Minutes

2763′

Goals

11

Assists

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.57

Minutes per Goal Involvements

144′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

That means the 22-year-old phenom managed to average a goal involvement every 1.73 games, or every 144 minutes, which is made all the more impressive by the fact that Leipzig struggled massively and ended up finishing in seventh place, outside all European places.

Another reason the Blues should be looking to sign the former Paris Saint-Germain prospect is his positional versatility.

For example, while one analyst recently described him as “one of the best 10s in the world,” the Amsterdam-born dynamo is more than capable of playing on either flank, and has even made several appearances up top.

In all, Simons is worth splashing the cash on, but to make room for him in the squad and to help with the financial side of things, Chelsea might need to move someone on first, and it looks like they may well do so.

The star Chelsea could move on

Chelsea have already made several sales this summer, with Noni Madueke and Kepa Arrizabalaga making the increasingly common move to Arsenal, and most recently, João Félix moving to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.

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However, it now looks like they could be making even more room for new attacking signings by potentially moving on Christopher Nkunku.

At least that is according to a recent report from Sports Zone, which has revealed that during talks about Simons, Leipzig have expressed “genuine interest” in re-signing the French forward.

The 27-year-old moved to Stamford Bridge for £52m in the summer of 2023, and it’s not entirely clear whether he’d go back to Germany for a fee or as part of a swap deal, but this feels like an exit the Blues should facilitate.

It’s not that the previously “unstoppable” attacker, as journalist Zach Lowy described him during his time with Leipzig, has been terrible for the West Londoners, but he has been undeniably underwhelming.

Nkunku’s Chelsea career

Competitions

Games

Goals

Assists

Premier League

38

6

2

Conference League

9

5

3

Conference League Qs

2

2

0

Club World Cup

6

1

0

FA Cup

3

1

0

League Cup

4

3

0

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Yet, while his tally of 18 goals and five assists in 62 appearances isn’t dreadful, it’s important to note the competitions in which the vast majority of those goal involvements came.

For example, of his 18 goals, five came in the Conference League, two in the qualifiers and three in the League Cup – in other words, he’s been a second-string player at best.

What makes that somewhat of a problem is the fact he’s not earning the wage of a second-string player; instead, he’s taking home a hefty £195k-per-week, which made him the fourth-highest earner last season.

Ultimately, if Chelsea can move on Nkunku this summer and get his wages off the books, that would be great, and it’d be even better if his exit helped facilitate a move for Simons.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 1, 2025

Before the end of the 2024/25 campaign, Liverpool had gone three transfer windows having spent nominally.

Indeed, last August’s £12.5m purchase of Federico Chiesa was the only Anfield addition since Jurgen Klopp’s ambitious midfield rebuild in 2023.

So while rivals may be frustrated at the Merseysiders’ spenging spree, they may want to check themselves after letting Arne Slot waltz into the Premier League and get his hands on the title with scarcely any investment, not 12 months after Klopp vacated his throne.

To think that these remarkable Reds have already reached a higher level than their domestic peers is frightening, for Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong have strengthened the defensive flanks, Florian Wirtz has arrived for a British-record £116m fee.

And let’s not forget Giorgi Mamardashvili, who replaces Caoimhin Kelleher between the sticks after a £29m fee was agreed last summer.

However, for all this productive restructuring, there may be plenty more yet to come.

Liverpool's new-look frontline

Mohamed Salah certainly pulled his weight for Liverpool last season, practically dragging Slot’s side to the Premier League title that he promised after a disappointing end to 2023/24.

But he’s now 33, and will need greater support. With Darwin Nunez, Chiesa and Diogo Jota all rumoured to be leaving Anfield this summer, a few more incomings could go down a treat, especially as Luis Diaz is also being chased by Barcelona and Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

Already, Wirtz’s arrival opens up a whole new world of possibilities as far as the attacking line-up is confirmed, and that’s without even considering the addition of an out-and-out striker.

Where Wirtz could feature for Liverpool

Liverpool, to be sure, have spent a lot already this summer, but sales and careful planning has led the outfit to an enviable position that may yet see them break the bank once again.

And we all know who we’d like up top.

Liverpool pushing for elite striker

According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are still pushing for Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, who is supposedly unavailable after the Magpies qualified for the Champions League, thus pricing him at £200m.

But in spite of such claims, Liverpool’s interest persists. There have even been claims in the previous week suggesting the Sweden international wants to leave St. James’ Park as the Merseysiders ramp up the gas, although it feels unlikely that he would hand in an official transfer request.

Speaking to Rousing the Kop, Bailey said: “Liverpool are not being deterred, we’re not sure quite why that is, but they seem to think there’s a chink of light there.”

Why Liverpool should sign Alexander Isak

Given the technicalities of a prospective bid for Isak, and indeed the finances involved, Newcastle’s stance, yada yada, FSG would be forgiven for focusing their attention elsewhere.

Liverpool, after all, have stocked up with some incredible signings already this summer.

But Isak is a special player, hailed by analyst Raj Chohan last season as being “the best striker in the world” and an “unstoppable talent” in the words of writer Adam Keys. Some would refute that initial claim, but then who can deny that the 25-year-old’s completeness in the final third makes him one of the most dangerous players out there?

Liverpool certainly know how it feels to come unstuck against the shifty forward, whose intelligence and movements saw him score in the Carabao Cup final in March, winning the Magpies some silver at Slot’s expense.

Across 42 matches in 2024/25, he scored 27 goals and laid on six assists. Newcastle are a fantastic team, but you get the sense that haul could swell under Slot’s management at Liverpool. With the likes of Wirtz and Salah creating for him, surely anything’s possible?

Salah, while renowned for being one of the deadliest strikers of his generation, is also an incredible playmaker, having assisted 88 goals across 301 Premier League fixtures. He racked up 18 assists from last season alone.

And then Wirtz will bring a more focused brand of creativity to the Liverpool fold. The German, still only 22, was hailed as a “genius” by his former Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso for his intelligence and eagle vision.

As per FBref, he ranked among the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers last year for assists, the top 7% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes, and the top 2% for passes attempted per 90, underscoring that point.

Adding him to a team already blessed with supreme creative production must be a daunting thought for opponents, especially when throwing Isak into the equation.

Premier League 24/25 – Most Big Chances Created

#

Team

BCC

1.

Liverpool

112

2.

Chelsea

93

3.

Arsenal

91

3=

Man City

91

5.

Aston Villa

90

Data via Premier League

Injuries aside, it’s hard to imagine the Newcastle sensation flopping. His roundedness and ability to drop deep, influence and then carve through defences with blistering speed, measured strides, makes him a unique adversary, and one who has yet to taste Slot’s tactical guidance.

While Liverpool would have to break a bank still shattered after Wirtz’s arrival, there are few – if any – forwards who would be more fitting than Isak, who is proven in the Premier League and endowed with the phyiscal and tactical properties that are perfect for a place at the front of the Anfield ship.

He only missed 18 big chances in the Premier League last term, as per Sofascore, scoring 23 times, and with such deadly finishing and a balanced style, it’s time for Liverpool to move the requisite pieces and shake the division by testing Newcastle’s resolve.

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Posts 1 ByMatt Dawson Jun 29, 2025

Gloucestershire fight back through Singh Dale before tumble of wickets

ECB Reporters Network24-Jun-2024

Matthew Revis strains for effect•Getty Images

Gloucestershire 168 for 7 (Price 47, Charlesworth 45, Revis 3-26) trail Yorkshire 456 (Bean 164, Lyth 129, Singh Dale 3-70) by 288 runsGloucestershire fought back impressively with the ball at the start of day two – but Yorkshire maintained the advantage in the ongoing Vitality County Championship clash at Scarborough by striking five times late in the day.Yorkshire, who started the day on 348 for three in their first innings, were bowled out for 456 when looking well set for many more. New-ball seamer Ajeet Singh Dale claimed two of the seven wickets to fall, finishing with three for 70 from 24 overs.Despite their impressive morning’s work – the hosts were bowled out on the cusp of lunch – Gloucestershire were still faced with a daunting total to reply to.And while their response started encouragingly thanks to opener Ben Charlesworth’s 45 and 47 for Ollie Price, they slipped from 128 for two to 158 for six and later ended the day on 168 for seven from 71 overs.It was, without doubt, a morale-boosting close to a day which started poorly for a Yorkshire side who did not make the most of an opening partnership of 307 between centurions Adam Lyth and Fin Bean on day one.This Championship campaign has been one of significant frustration for Yorkshire, who were billed as pre-season title favourites but came into this fixture second-bottom in the Division Two table and without a win in seven.They have been affected by fast-bowling injuries and have struggled to bowl sides out as a result. In the games they managed to do that, they lost against Middlesex at Lord’s and against leaders Sussex at Hove.In some matches, weather has played its part in thwarting them.Should they not get over the line here during the next two days, the weather will almost certainly not be a factor.But their chances were increased thanks to a superb last hour, including two wickets in two balls for all-rounder Matthew Revis, who had earlier also removed Charlesworth en-route to three for 26 from nine overs.Left-handed Charlesworth started the season batting at seven, contributing unbeaten scores of 52 and 43 to the draw against Yorkshire at Bristol in early April.But he then replaced Chris Dent at the top of the order in early May and has a 126 to his name.He fell caught behind off Revis’s seam with the final ball of the afternoon, five short of a fifty – 97 for two. Jordan Thompson had earlier removed Cameron Bancroft.England Lions man Price continued his good work and twice hit the off-spin of Dom Bess over midwicket and long-on for six. Though he was part of the late collapse.Bess started it when he bowled an advancing Miles Hammond off an inside-edge shortly after tea before Sri Lankan overseas quick Vishwa Fernando bowled James Bracey – 146 for four in the 60th.Revis then had Price brilliantly caught behind down leg by Jonny Tattersall off a gloved pull at the end of the 61st over. And when he bowled Australian Beau Webster, via inside-edge, for a golden duck at the start of his next, Gloucestershire were 158 for six in the 63rd.Thompson returned to get Graeme van Buuren caught at first slip in the day’s penultimate over – 166 for seven in the 70th.Yorkshire were helped by the fact glorious sunshine had been replaced by cloud cover, and there was no doubt this was a bowler’s day.Gloucestershire were excellent with the ball before lunch, much improved from day one when they struggled to build sustained pressure.They claimed seven wickets for 87, Yorkshire falling from 369 for three as new ball seamers Singh Dale and Dom Goodman struck twice apiece.Glos pinched a second bowling bonus point just in the nick of time as Webster bowled Revis with a beauty five balls into the 110th over – 390 for six – while all-rounders George Hill and Thompson fell just short of fifties, posting 45 and 44 in contrasting fashion.Hill was measured, whereas Thompson was meaty. The latter hit four sixes in 28 balls, the best of them coming over cover off Australian Webster’s seamers.