Erik ten Hag may lose another star as Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce plan €20m offer for midfielder

Jose Muorinho’s Fenerbahce are plotting a move for Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Exequiel Palacios, with Erik ten Hag facing another key exit.

According to multiple sources, Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce are plotting a €20 million move for Exequiel Palacios, the midfield metronome who played a vital role in Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten league triumph last season.

For Ten Hag, who is still finding his feet after taking over from Xabi Alonso at the BayArena, the thought of losing yet another key player is enough to induce cold sweats.

Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce and the €20m Palacios Plan

The story begins in Istanbul, where Mourinho and new sporting director Devin Ozek have been quietly but relentlessly drawing up a list of midfield reinforcements. At the very top of that list sits Palacios – a 26-year-old Argentine with a blend of technical polish, tactical awareness, and South American bite that Mourinho loves.

Fenerbahce’s interest is no passing fancy. Reports suggest they’re ready to structure a €20m deal in one of two ways:

• A straight permanent transfer.

• Or a season-long loan with an obligation to buy next summer.

The urgency is obvious. The Turkish giants have a Champions League play-off against Benfica next week, and Mourinho wants his new man in the building, in training, and ready to make a difference before that two-legged tie begins.

The Bigger Picture – Leverkusen’s Summer Exodus

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This isn’t happening in isolation. Leverkusen’s summer has been brutal. The departure list reads like the backbone of last year’s title-winning side:

• Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong → Liverpool

• Granit Xhaka → Sunderland

• Odilon Kossounou → Atalanta

• Lukas Hradecky → Monaco

• Jonathan Tah → Bayern Munich

For a club that went unbeaten in the Bundesliga in 2024, the dismantling has been swift and painful.

Palacios leaving would feel like the final twist of the knife. He might not have been an every-week starter under Alonso, but he was a dependable, flexible option – the kind of player every manager relies on when the schedule turns relentless.

Erik Ten Hag’s Challenge

When Ten Hag accepted the job at Leverkusen, he surely knew some departures were inevitable. After all, an unbeaten title-winning squad attracts vultures. But even the most pragmatic manager would not have anticipated this scale of turnover.

Ten Hag has always been a coach who values control – control of the ball, control of space, control of the dressing room. The loss of key personalities means he’s now forced into a rapid rebuild without the luxury of a settled core.

Losing Palacios would remove yet another experienced voice from the dressing room and another option in central areas – especially damaging when you consider Leverkusen’s commitment to high-intensity, possession-dominant football.

Who is Exequiel Palacios?

Bayer 04 Leverkusen v FC Bayern Munchen – Bundesliga

To understand why Mourinho is circling, you only have to look at Palacios’ profile.

• Age: 26

• Nationality: Argentine

• Position: Central midfielder

• Joined Leverkusen: January 2020 from River Plate (€22m)

• Bundesliga Appearances: 108

• Goals: 11

• Assists: 14

Palacios is not the type to flood highlight reels with spectacular moments, but his contribution is often felt in the flow of a match rather than in the box score. His passing range, ability to break lines, and comfort receiving under pressure make him ideal for Mourinho’s double-pivot system.

Mourinho’s Midfield Rebuild

When Mourinho arrived at Fenerbahce earlier this summer, he wasted no time identifying areas of weakness. Chief among them: central midfield. The Portuguese coach wants energy, intelligence, and tactical adaptability – and Palacios ticks each of those boxes.

In Istanbul, he’d likely be partnered with a more defensive-minded player, freeing him to dictate play from deeper areas while still contributing to attacking phases. Mourinho’s Champions League ambitions mean there’s no time to slowly bed players in – he needs a ready-made contributor.

Timing is Everything

For Mourinho, the timing of this deal is critical. The first leg of Fenerbahce’s Champions League play-off against Benfica comes just days away. Integrating a player like Palacios quickly could be the difference between reaching the group stage or dropping into the Europa League.

For Leverkusen, the timing is terrible. They face Sonnenhof in the DFB-Pokal before hosting Hoffenheim in their Bundesliga opener on August 23. Any departure now forces them into the late-August scramble – a notoriously tricky period for finding value in the market.

Can Leverkusen Afford to Sell?

This is the million-euro question. On paper, Leverkusen don’t need to sell – especially for a fee close to what they paid River Plate four years ago. But football decisions are rarely made on paper.

If Palacios has his head turned by Mourinho’s pitch – the prospect of Champions League football, a central role in the team, and the chance to work with a legendary coach – it becomes harder for Leverkusen to keep him against his will.

That said, given the sheer number of exits already this summer, there’s a strong case for digging in their heels. Ten Hag will know the cost of losing too much experience at once.

What Happens Next?

The next few days will be decisive. Fenerbahce’s sporting director Devin Ozek is believed to be in active contact with Leverkusen’s hierarchy, and a formal bid could land at any moment.

Leverkusen, meanwhile, must decide:

• Sell now, take the money, and try to reinvest before the window shuts.

• Refuse, risk an unhappy player, but preserve midfield depth.

For Ten Hag, neither option is ideal – but at least the second one keeps him competitive in the short term.

Final Word – A Move That Could Shape Two Seasons

This isn’t just another mid-table club losing a solid player. It’s a potential move that could alter the trajectory of two teams’ seasons.

For Fenerbahce, landing Palacios in time for the Champions League play-off could supercharge their European ambitions. For Leverkusen, losing him now could deepen the cracks in a squad already stripped of its title-winning core.

And for Ten Hag, it would be a stark reminder that in football, as in life, timing is everything – and control is often an illusion.