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Mourinho beats Man United to Salzburg star Nene Dorgeles in €20m Fenerbahce deal

Originally posted on HITC | By Sean Fisher | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 8:18 AM ET

Jose Mourinho didn’t waste any time snapping up a player Manchester United’s recruitment team had been watching for a while.

One of the main issues during Ruben Amorim’s brief spell at Old Trafford was the lack of firepower up front, with United managing just 57 goals in the league. That was fewer than Bournemouth and Chelsea, who both finished below them in the table.

Ineos quickly put together a list of potential signings for both the January and summer transfer windows, aiming to address the team’s attacking deficiencies.

While Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven were brought in during January, much of United’s work behind the scenes focused on tracking Nene Dorgeles.

In total, United have spent nearly £200m reshaping their attack by bringing in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. That investment meant Dorgeles became available for others to pursue.

Jose Mourinho swoops in for Man United target Nene Dorgeles

United’s interest in Nene Dorgeles first surfaced back in January, when Ineos were actively searching for new attacking talent.

The 22-year-old Mali international has been catching the eye at Red Bull Salzburg, and with Christopher Vivell’s connections to the Red Bull Group, a move always seemed within reach.

Photo by Fabio Rossi/AS Roma via Getty Images

But instead of pursuing that path, United decided to focus on proven Premier League players this summer. That left an opening for Jose Mourinho to step in and bring Dorgeles to Fenerbahce.

Reports from Tribuna suggest Fenerbahce have agreed a total package worth €20 million (£17m) for his signature.

Dorgeles has said he’s “inspired by Kylian Mbappe,” and it shows in his game, particularly his pace and dribbling skills.

Mourinho has been linked with several Manchester United targets during this window and will be pleased to have secured one of them in Dorgeles.

Man United moved on from Nene Dorgeles

Dorgeles initially appeared on United’s radar as a wing-back option back in January, with Amorim looking to address issues on the left side of his squad.

United ultimately addressed that need by securing a £25m deal for Dorgu, who has already made a positive impression in his early appearances.

With Amorim favouring a 3-4-2-1 formation that doesn’t naturally fit traditional wingers, continuing to chase Dorgeles didn’t align with their tactical needs.

Instead, Ineos turned their focus towards players with proven Premier League experience. Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo were both brought in over the summer to strengthen the front line.

While there will be plenty of interest in how Mourinho integrates Dorgeles into Fenerbahce’s plans, United will feel confident about the direction they’ve taken over the past year regardless of how things pan out for the winger.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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