Jose Mourinho picks Nico Williams over Lamine Yamal, suggests former to join Real Madrid 

Jose Mourinho heaped praise on Atheltic Bilbao forward Nico Williams and urged him to join Real Madrid in the future.

Jose Mourinho picks Nico Williams over Lamine Yamal, suggests former to join Real Madrid 

Jose Mourinho urged Nico Williams to join Real Madrid, while calling him better than Lamine Yamal. (via Barca Blaugranes)

Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho interestingly snubbed Spanish prodigy Lamine Yamal and picked Nico Williams over him. The 61-year-old former Real Madrid and Inter Milan manager also urged the young Athletic Bilbao forward to join Los Blancos in the future. 

Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams were the two standout players at the 2024 Euros, with both helping Spain lift the title. The latter was named the Player of the Match in the final against England after he scored in the historic 2-1 win.

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So far this season, Lamine has done very well under Barca manager Hansi Flick, scoring five goals and providing nine assists in 15 La Liga matches. Meanwhile, Williams, who was a Barca target this summer, has scored twice and provided five assists in 21 matches.

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While Arsenal and Chelsea remain interested in signing Williams, he has been suggested an alternate move by Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese manager compared Yamal and Williams, claiming that he is a bigger fan of the latter’s talents.

Mourinho called Williams a ‘fantastic’ player. Knowing that Fenerbahce could not afford to sign the Spanish star, he urged Williams to join Real Madrid in the future. 

People were going for Yamal, Yamal, Yamal… He’s obviously a wonderful kid, but I’m more of a Nico Williams fan. I think he’s a fantastic player and I hope he ends up playing for Real Madrid.

Jose Mourinho said (H/T GOAL)

However, Williams has a massive €58 million release clause, which clubs would have to trigger in order to sign him. Despite Mourinho’s wishes, it looks highly unlikely that Real Madrid will sign the Bilbao winger. Madrid already have several options on the left wing including superstars Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr.

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Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce suffer second UEL defeat, as Athletic Bilbao prevail 2-0

Fenerbahce lost to a resurgent Athletic Bilbao side in the UEFA Europa League, their second defeat in the competition this season. Ghanaian winger and Bilbao skipper Inaki Williams scored a brace to help his side prevail 2-0 over Jose Mourinho’s team. 

Jose Mourinho Fenerbahce vs. Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao star Inaki Williams guided his side to a 2-0 UEL victory over Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce. (via Diario)

An erratic pass from Fenerbahce defender Samet Akaydin helped Inaki open the scoring in the fifth minute. The second goal came in the 45th minute of the match, with Inaki once again finding the back of the net helped by an Oihan Sancet assist.

Unfortunately, Bilbao’s star winger Nico Williams was forced off the pitch in the 38th minute, due to a suspected knee injury. The injury aside, the win helped Bilbao leapfrog to the first position on the UEL table, with 16 points from six matches.

Bilbao have won five out of their six games in the competition. Fenerbahce, on the other hand, have won two, lost two, and drawn two, and remain in the 15th position on the table.