Jose Mourinho snubs Lamine Yamal by admitting he's 'more of a Nico Williams fan' with Fenerbahce boss hopeful Athletic Club winger will sign for Real Madrid instead of Barcelona

Both Yamal and Williams played pivotal roles in Spain’s triumph at the 2024 European Championship with the latter shining on the grandest stage, scoring in the final against England and earning the Player of the Match accolade. Meanwhile, Yamal continues to hit the right chords for Barcelona and has already scored five goals and provided nine assists in 15 La Liga appearances this season.

Williams continues to attract interest from several European giants, including Arsenal, Chelsea, and Barcelona and it is suggested that the Catalans are even prepared to trigger his €58 million (£48m/$63m) release clause next summer as they consider the winger to be a priority signing. However, Mourinho’s hopes align with his support for his former club, Real Madrid, a side he managed between 2010 and 2013.

When asked by reporters which Athletic player he would like to sign at Fenerbahce, Mourinho brought up Yamal to make a comparison and stated: "People were going for Yamal, Yamal, Yamal... He's obviously a wonderful kid, but I'm more of a Nico Williams fan than anything else. I think he's a fantastic player and I hope he ends up playing for Real Madrid because in Spain I'm a Real Madrid fan."

Mourinho’s desire to see Williams don the famous white jersey of Real Madrid raises questions about where the 21-year-old winger could fit into an already star-studded lineup. Currently, Los Blancos boast two of the world’s finest left-wingers in Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe. While manager Carlo Ancelotti has deployed Mbappé in a central role to accommodate both stars, adding Williams to the mix might complicate matters further.

Mourinho's Fenerbahce head into their Europa League clash with Athletic Club in mixed form. They currently sit second in the Turkish Super Lig after a narrow defeat to Besiktas last time out, trailing leaders Galatasaray by six points. In the Europa League, however, their position is less enviable, as they rank 15th in the competition with just two wins in five matches, underlining the challenges Mourinho faces in replicating his past European success with the Turkish outfit.