Istanbul’s Yellow-Navy side Fenerbahçe is pursuing a historic opportunity in the current summer transfer window. In January, Saudi club Al-Nassr paid Aston Villa €77 million for talented Colombian striker Jhon Duran, yet the forward failed to adapt to life in the Middle East and has publicly expressed his desire to leave. Al-Nassr’s management are ready to loan out the 21-year-old, and Fenerbahçe has been among the first clubs to open negotiations.
The Kadıköy board are determined to sign a top-tier centre-forward who can immediately replace veteran Edin Džeko and spearhead the attack. The shortlist compiled by new head coach José Mourinho contains genuinely eye-catching names, and the club has allocated a serious budget for each of them.
Persuasion Efforts Already Under Way
Unexpected opportunities are also emerging on the market. The most striking example is Duran himself: his January move from Aston Villa to Al-Nassr made headlines, but cultural differences, climate, and day-to-day challenges hindered his adaptation, and personal issues prompted his decision to seek a new environment. The Saudi club, unwilling to lose an expensive asset outright, has concluded that a loan spell is the best solution for all parties. News of Al-Nassr’s openness to such a deal spread quickly across Europe. Turkish outlets report that Fenerbahçe submitted the first official one-year loan bid and is already taking active steps to persuade Duran to choose their project.
The Mourinho Factor
Plan A looks more advanced: the capture of Canadian goal-getter Jonathan David. The 25-year-old’s contract with Lille expires this summer, and the forward has listened to offers from a host of European heavyweights. Insiders say the terms proposed by Napoli, Inter, and several Premier League clubs have disappointed him; talks with the Italian sides have stalled completely. Against this backdrop Fenerbahçe has gone all-in, offering the free agent a €9 million annual salary and a €12 million signing bonus. Those figures are almost double what other suitors have tabled. The club wants to close the deal as soon as possible, so it has sent David and his agent Nick Mavromaras an official letter requesting a prompt final decision. Canadian and Turkish media report that the striker considers the offer adequate, and the prospect of working under Mourinho makes the move even more appealing. Significant progress could be registered this week.
Negotiations Continue
The next candidate is 23-year-old Ivorian-French forward Evann Guessand, around whom Nice built its attack in the 2024/25 season. Although the coaching staff used him mostly on the wings, he became the team’s top scorer in Ligue 1 with 12 goals and added nine assists, second only to midfielder Hicham Boudaoui in that category. According to L’Équipe, Fenerbahçe has already submitted an official offer to the French club. Competition, however, is fierce: Tottenham, Aston Villa, Brighton, West Ham, and Wolverhampton are also chasing Guessand. Nice values its star at no less than €30 million; the Istanbul side is trying to trim the price and propose an instalment plan that fits its financial framework.
Kees Smit Also on the List
In parallel, Fenerbahçe is closely studying the European youth market, aided by the new foreign-player quota. One name on the radar is 19-year-old AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit. A product of the club’s academy, he enjoyed a breakout campaign this season, scoring twice—one of those goals coming against Fenerbahçe in a Europa Conference League clash. The board has already requested a comprehensive report from the scouting department covering the Dutchman’s technical, tactical, and physical attributes, viewing him as a long-term investment.
Conclusion
In sum, Fenerbahçe is advancing on three fronts simultaneously: securing an elite centre-forward, reinforcing the wings with a dynamic attacker, and investing in a young talent for the future. José Mourinho’s charisma, the club’s ambitious aim of an immediate title challenge and European success, and the generous personal terms make the Kadıköy outfit’s offer one of the most compelling on the 2025 summer market. The coming weeks will reveal whether the Istanbul giants can realise their historic plan and pull off three transfer “bombs” in a single window.
