Will the 'dream combination' that was once aborted at Tottenham be recreated in Istanbul? Fenerbahçe, led by Taxes Mourinho (62), has officially begun the process to acquire Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich) and Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham).

The Turkish media outlet 'Aksam' reported on the 20th (Korean time) that "Kim Min-jae is set to be released by Bayern Munich, and Fenerbahçe is pushing for his return at the request of Coach Mourinho." It further noted that "Son Heung-min is also at the top of Coach Mourinho's acquisition list, and a large-scale project to accommodate both players is underway."

Kim Min-jae participated in 43 official matches (3 goals) for Bayern Munich last season, contributing to the Bundesliga championship, but his position became unstable in the second half of the season due to an Achilles injury. Reports suggest that Bayern Munich has classified Kim Min-jae as surplus to requirements for the 2024-2025 season defense restructuring.

As Kim Min-jae's situation changed rapidly, big European clubs began to show interest. In the English Premier League, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Newcastle have expressed interest, while in Italy, his former team Napoli, and Inter and Juventus are among the candidates. Reports have emerged that Paris Saint-Germain, which achieved a treble, has also contacted Kim Min-jae's camp, and clubs from Saudi Arabia are preparing to offer astronomical salaries.

In particular, Napoli is considering the re-signing of Kim Min-jae as a top priority following the appointment of Coach Antonio Conte. The Italian media outlet 'Area Napoli' reported that "Napoli has reached a preliminary agreement with Sam Boeckema (Bologna), but Coach Conte's real goal is Kim Min-jae," adding, "Coach Conte, who wanted Kim Min-jae during his time at Tottenham, is once again pushing strongly for his acquisition."

Amid all this interest, the team that truly aims to bring Kim Min-jae is none other than Fenerbahçe. Fenerbahçe, where Kim Min-jae first debuted on the European stage in the summer of 2021, dreams of reuniting with him after a brief collaboration that led to his transfer to Napoli. This time, the undeniable 'charisma' of Mourinho stands at the center.

During his time as Tottenham's head coach, Mourinho requested the acquisition of Kim Min-jae directly, but it fell through due to opposition from club chairman Daniel Levy. After moving to AS Roma, Mourinho expressed disappointment in an interview after Kim Min-jae's success at Napoli, declaring, "Tottenham made a 'garbage decision.'"

This summer, Mourinho also intends to bring in another Son Heung-min. Aksam reported that "Fenerbahçe has begun contact with Son Heung-min as well, and as he has one year left on his contract, Tottenham is likely to allow a transfer." Son Heung-min lifted his first trophy at Tottenham after leading the team to victory in the Europa League last May, but there are expectations that the newly appointed coach Thomas Frank may exclude Son Heung-min from his team plans.

Son Heung-min also has a deep connection with Coach Mourinho. Under Mourinho's guidance from 2019 to 2021, he contributed to 29 goals and 25 assists in 70 matches, experiencing the peak of his career, and achieved his first Premier League hat-trick during Mourinho's tenure.

Currently, Fenerbahçe remains the runner-up in the 2023-2024 Turkish Super League and has begun a major squad reinforcement for the upcoming season. The audacious move to target both 'the stars of Korean football', Kim Min-jae and Son Heung-min, goes beyond simple reinforcement; it's a symbolic project aimed at both European and Asian markets.

Both Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae are currently attracting interest from various big clubs, but Fenerbahçe, with a familiar coach waiting for them, is also emerging as a significant destination. If Mourinho's persuasive powers align with the desires of both stars for a guaranteed playing time and central role, the scene of the 'Korean duo' playing together in Istanbul could become a reality.

[OSEN]