Istanbul/Lisbon, November 11, 2025 – In a tale that blends footballing drama with the opulence of Ottoman-era grandeur, Jose Mourinho, the self-proclaimed "Special One," has been accused of leaving Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce with a staggering £656,000 hotel bill after 15 months of residing in a five-star palace on the Bosphorus. The revelation, first reported by Turkish journalist Muge Dagıstanlı Erdogan in the outlet Yenicag Gazetesi, has ignited debates about the Portuguese tactician's extravagant lifestyle and the financial burdens it imposed on his former club. As Mourinho settles into his new role at Benfica in his native Portugal, where he has already begun to reshape the squad, the story serves as a poignant reminder of his turbulent, headline-grabbing tenure in Istanbul.
Mourinho's arrival at Fenerbahce in June 2024 was nothing short of a spectacle. Fresh from his dismissal at AS Roma earlier that year—where he had guided the club to a historic Europa Conference League triumph in 2022 but struggled amid internal conflicts—the 62-year-old was unveiled to a sea of yellow-and-navy clad fans at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium. Over 30,000 supporters turned out, chanting his name as he declared the Fenerbahce shirt would become his "skin." The club, desperate to end a decade-long drought since their last Turkish Super Lig title in 2014, had lured him with a lucrative two-year contract reportedly worth €10.5 million annually, excluding bonuses. Fenerbahce president Ali Koç saw in Mourinho the proven winner who could dethrone rivals Galatasaray, who had clinched three straight titles.
Yet, from the outset, Mourinho's stay in Istanbul was marked by luxury rather than domestic bliss. Upon landing, the club arranged for him to take up residence at the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus, a sprawling complex transformed from a 19th-century Ottoman palace. Perched on the European side of the strait, the hotel boasts panoramic views of the waterway that divides Istanbul, with suites featuring private terraces, marble bathrooms, and direct access to a world-class spa. The property includes a state-of-the-art gym, indoor and outdoor pools equipped with underwater speakers, and even electric car charging stations—though Mourinho, chauffeured daily to training, likely never needed the latter. Reports suggest the club initially offered to rent him Istanbul's finest villa, but the manager opted for the transient allure of hotel life, a pattern echoing his 895-day stint at Manchester United's Lowry Hotel during his 2016-2018 tenure there.
The decision proved costly. According to Yenicag, Mourinho's 15-month occupancy in one of the hotel's premier Bosphorus suites—where nightly rates start at around £1,000—amassed a total of 36.5 million Turkish lira, equivalent to approximately €747,000 or £656,000 at current exchange rates. This figure covers not just lodging but incidentals: daily morning swims in the indoor pool (a reported favorite), evening indulgences in chicken soup, Margherita pizza, ice cream, and sparkling water, and access to the spa's rejuvenating treatments. By October 2024, just four months in, estimates pegged his bill at £142,000, a mere fraction of his salary but a growing concern for Fenerbahce's financial controllers. As the tab ballooned, whispers in Istanbul's media circles turned to who would foot it—the club, per standard executive perks, or Mourinho himself upon departure? Sources close to the matter indicate the burden has fallen squarely on Fenerbahce, exacerbating the club's post-Mourinho fiscal headaches.
On the pitch, Mourinho's Fenerbahce tenure was a rollercoaster of near-misses and controversies. In his debut 2024-25 season, he steered the Yellow Canaries to a runners-up finish in the Super Lig, amassing 99 points and scoring 99 goals—a club record for consistency, yet still 11 points adrift of Galatasaray. European campaigns brought mixed fortunes: an early exit to Lille in Champions League qualifiers, a Europa League last-16 defeat to Rangers, and a heated 1-1 draw with Manchester United in October 2024, where Mourinho was sent off and later quipped he'd prefer managing a "bottom-of-the-table English side" to avoid UEFA's "circus." Off-field antics, including a pitch invasion protest against the Turkish Football Federation and public spats with referees, kept Mourinho in the spotlight but alienated some within the dressing room.
The end came swiftly in August 2025, just six games into the 2025-26 season. Fenerbahce's 1-0 aggregate loss to Benfica in the Champions League play-offs—ironically, the club Mourinho would soon join—proved the breaking point. In a pre-match press conference, Mourinho had lambasted the club's transfer strategy, claiming, "I wanted to play with four players, but the club signed five the day after I left," and dismissing vice-president Hamdi Akin's optimism with a curt "I don't know him." These remarks were the "straw that broke the camel's back," leading president Koç to terminate the contract despite a year remaining. Koç later called the parting "painful" but necessary for "better football," praising Mourinho's chemistry while noting the trophyless haul.
The sacking came with a silver lining for Mourinho: a reported £7.7 million severance payout, pushing his career earnings from dismissals to nearly £89 million across seven clubs. Turkish outlet Fanatik estimated it closer to £13 million, factoring in bonuses and early termination clauses. This windfall, however, pales against the irony of the hotel debt now haunting Fenerbahce, a club already navigating political elections and transfer austerity.
Barely three weeks later, on September 18, 2025, Mourinho returned to his roots, signing a two-year deal with Benfica—the club where his managerial career ignited in 2000 before a acrimonious exit after just 10 games. "I'm hungrier than 25 years ago," he declared at his unveiling, vowing to "live for Benfica" and serve the fans who once doubted him. The appointment followed Benfica's sacking of Bruno Lage after a shock Champions League loss to Qarabag, with president Rui Costa seeking a "winner's profile." Mourinho's contract includes an opt-out clause post-2025-26, allowing flexibility amid Benfica's October presidential elections.
Now 12 games into his Benfica stint, Mourinho's record stands at six wins, three draws, and three losses—a solid but scrutinized start in the Primeira Liga, where Benfica trail leaders Sporting CP. High-profile Champions League clashes loom: against former club Chelsea on September 30 and Real Madrid in January. Off the field, he's immersed himself in the academy, dining with youth players and spending "sunrise to sunset" at training grounds, a far cry from Istanbul's hotel haze.
The Fenerbahce saga underscores Mourinho's enduring paradox: a tactical genius with 21 major trophies, from two Champions Leagues to three Premier Leagues, yet a manager whose off-pitch indulgences often eclipse his on-field legacy. At Benfica, where he once threatened to quit over perceived lack of backing, redemption beckons. But as Fenerbahce tallies its bills—hotel fees amid a squad rebuild under new coach Edin Terzic—the question lingers: Was the Special One's Turkish chapter a lavish detour or a calculated masterstroke? For now, Lisbon awaits trophies, while Istanbul counts the cost.
