Sadettin Saran Becomes the 38th President of Fenerbahçe

At the extraordinary general assembly held on September 21st, 2025, Sadettin Saran was selected as the 38th president of Fenerbahce, gaining 50.4% of the votes. The election results showed not only a change in management but also a shift in the community's expectations and hopes. Saran's initial statements emphasized unity and solidarity, presenting fans with a disciplined roadmap with the message, “No celebrations until we win the championship.” At the end of Ali Koc’s presidency, the team won only 1 Turkish Cup and deepened the gap between its eternal rival, Galatasaray, in championship numbers. Under Koc’s administration, many controversial decisions were taken that dismayed Fenerbahce fans in terms of success.

At the historic congress held in June 2018, Ali Koç ended the nearly twenty-year reign of Aziz Yıldırım. A large portion of the fans embraced Koç with his promises of “innovation, transparency, and modern football management.”The initial steps taken following the election were intended to resolve the economic deadlock created by the club's debt burden of approximately 600 million euros through a restructuring with banks, as well as the “Fener Ol” support from fans. However, things did not begin as positively on the field. Although the arrival of Phillip Cocu raised expectations, the first half of the league presented poor results that put the club in danger of relegation. Disappointments included the transfers of Slimani, Ayew, and Benzia. According to Transfermarkt data, the squad, which had a market value of €107.6 million in the 2017-18 season, fell to €64.2 million, lagging behind Galatasaray's €150.5 million and Besiktas' €157.5 million squads, experiencing a dramatic decline in player value.

Fenerbahce 2018-19 Season Squad

Ali Koç’s second season also started with pretentious pledges, yet doomed to result in a poor performance once again. During the summer transfer period, key players like Vedat Muriqi, Max Kruse, and Luiz Gustavo came into the team, but the performances and results were below expectations. Fenerbahçe had a strong first half with Ersun Yanal but began to lose points quickly, especially after the winter break. Losing 3-1 in the Kadıköy derby against Galatasaray on February 23, 2020, marked the club's first home derby loss in 20 years and led to a further crisis of confidence between the fans and the management. Ersun Yanal resigned on March 1, and assitant manager Tahir Karapınar was appointed for the remainder of the season. In the meantime, Damien Comolli, the sporting director, left, and Max Kruse unilaterally terminated his contract. The season finished with Fenerbahçe finishing in 7th place and missing any chance of playing in the European cups.

Galasaray cheers after the derby win in 2019-20 season in Saracoglu Stadium

The 2020–2021 season was one of the most eventful and controversial years of Ali Koç's tenure. Before the season, the management created a transfer storm. Caner Erkin and Gökhan Gönül, who returned to the club, brought nostalgia to the fans, while Mert Hakan Yandaş's decision to choose Fenerbahçe after being linked with Galatasaray created a buzz. Names with different profiles, such as Enner Valencia, Papiss Cissé, Mbwana Samatta, and Diego Perotti, were added to the attacking line. Jose Sosa, Novak, and young talents were brought in for the midfield. The defensive line was reinforced with Marcel Tisserand. This intense transfer activity demonstrated the club's desire to bring together both experienced and relatively low-cost players at the same time. However, throughout the season, this large squad experienced cohesion issues, and the moves made failed to deliver the expected results on the field. Thus, this summer, recorded as one of the most active transfer periods in history, was etched in memory as a period in which a great opportunity was squandered in terms of sporting results.

The Koç administration signed contracts with 22 players, making the transfer season one of the most vibrant in the club’s history. However, these intense transfer moves also brought compatibility issues, where criticism arose from fans and the press that the transfers were “too many and incompatible.” The young coach Erol Bulut  stood out with away wins, especially in the first half of the season, but was frequently criticized due to points lost at home and fluctuations in the team's playing style. Following poor results in March 2021, Bulut was dismissed, and Emre Belözoğlu, who transitioned from sporting director to head coach, saw out the season.

Under Belözoğlu's management, the team's tempo improved, and with consecutive wins, while maintaining a title race with Beşiktaş and Galatasaray until the final week. However, points lost at critical moments, especially unexpected draws in Kadıköy, led to Fenerbahçe finishing the season in third place with 82 points. This result plunged the fans into despair once again, unable to prevent the championship drought from extending to seven years. The real source of anger, however, was not just the missed championship but the instability created by the projects restarted each year with different coaches during Ali Koç's tenure. In the eyes of the fans, this season reinforced the perception that “a lot of money was spent, but proper planning was not done,” increasing the pressure on the management.

In his fourth year of administration, Ali Koc stepped up gear and approached world-renowned coach Jorge Jesus to lead the team, reviving the hopes among fans for championship once again. The squad was bolstered by Michy Batshuayi and Joao Pedro for the striking field. Lincoln Henrique and Willian Arao were transferred to reinforce midfield, where Luan Peres was transferred to close up the gaps on the defensive side. Prioritizing attacking football characterized by scoring many goals and conceding many goals with a more compatible team profile, achieved a more consistent success compared to last season. The team showed the achievement of advancing to the last 16 round of the Europa League, but subsequently got defeated by Sevilla with a 2-1 score.

Despite this performance, Galatasaray's higher-quality transfers of Sacha Boey, Nicolo Zaniolo, and Mauro Icardi put Fenerbahçe behind in the competition. In particular, the 3-0 defeat to Galatasaray in the derby played in Kadikoy and the 4-2 defeat to Besiktas infuriated the fans. Many fans blamed the management for the team's lack of vision, especially complaining about the shortcomings in the forward line and midfield. Despite strongly criticizing referees' decisions throughout the season, the management failed to prevent their arch-rivals from securing their 23rd championship title at the end of the season.

Fenerbahce 2023-24 Season Squad

Ahead of the 2023–24 season, Fenerbahçe, under the leadership of Ali Koç, once again staged a very ambitious transfer period. Star players such as Edin Dzeko, Dusan Tadic, and Dominik Livakovic joined the team. These transfers caused a stir both in Turkey and Europe and were considered the most sensational summer transfer period in recent years. To re-cultivate team culture among team members, former manager Ismail Kartal was brought in as a manager. The team started the season in storming fashion with a flurry of goals. By the end of the season, İsmail Kartal was criticized for his inability to manage crises in crucial matches. In the Turkish Cup, they were eliminated by Ankaragücü, while in the Conference League, they lost to Olympiacos on penalties in the quarterfinals. The most sensational event of the season for Fenerbahce, which also gained worldwide reputation, was Koc’s decision to vote withdrawing the team from the Super League due to violent attacks of Trabzonspor hooligans after the 3-2 win.

Fenerbahce U-19 team withdrawing from the field as a protest during the Super Cup match

The most controversial decision of the season was to protest the referees' decisions, which were considered unfair, and to have Mehmet Büyükekşi's federation participate in the Super Cup match with the U-19 team, essentially “gifting” the cup to their eternal rivals, Galatasaray. With this unsuccessful crisis management, at the end of the season, Fenerbahçe handed over its championship title, achieved with 93 points in the 1988-89 season, to Galatasaray, which won the championship with 102 points. Ali Koc, who was competing against Aziz Yıldırım, won the election by promising to bring in Mourinho, thereby outpacing Yıldırım, and began working to end the unsuccessful six-year period.

Jose Mourinho in signature ceremony with Ali Koc

Fenerbahçe commenced the 2024–25 season with high hopes, just like previous seasons under the guidance of José Mourinho, with considerable changes to the squad, such as Youssef En-Nesyri and Diego Carlos. However, the team was knocked out by Lille in the Champions League qualifiers and continued its way in the Europa League. In the Super League, the team started strongly, but their 3-1 defeat to Galatasaray in Kadıköy angered the fans, especially. Again, Fenerbahçe was knocked out by Galatasaray in the Turkish Cup quarterfinals, while in the Europa League, the team was knocked out in the last 16 round on penalties by Rangers. In the end, they finished the league in 2nd place, contributing to a championship drought that continued since 2014.

From the technical side, Mourinho was accused of implementing a defensive play style, which many people accused him of not doing what he is supposed to do to raise the team. Simultaneously, a major criticism and reaction was given to the communication side of the administration, namely to Vice President Acun Ilicali, for pursuing a communication strategy that would cause tension in the sports community and increase polarization among fans. At the end of the season, despite intense criticism, the club parted ways with Sporting Director Mario Branco and Vice President Acun Ilıcalı, but decided to continue with Jose Mourinho. During the transfer window, the club agreed to sign Jhon Duran on a €35 million loan deal to strengthen the forward line, while Nélson Semedo joined the team on a free transfer to bolster the defense. A notable move in midfield was the loan signing of Edson Álvarez from West Ham United. In the attacking line, the young and promising Dorgeles Nene was transferred from Red Bull Salzburg.

Things fell apart for Fenerbahçe in the Champions League Playoff Round against Benfica. After a goalless draw in the match played in Kadikoy, the Yellow Canaries lost the match in Portugal with a goal from Kerem Akturkoglu, who currently plays for Fenerbahce but played for Benfica in that match. Ali Koc's impulsive decision led to Mourinho's dismissal. Ali Koc's management, which continued to make transfers as if it had lost control during this period, finalized the Asensio transfer and brought Domenico Tedesco to the technical director's seat. Mourinho left with a goalless draw at Goztepe when the 2025-26 Super League started, and after a week of searching for a coach, Zeki Murat Gole was appointed.

When Sadettin Saran's potential candidacy for Fenerbahçe presidency came up, the most debated issue was his connection to a betting company. Saran Holding's involvement in the gambling industry through “Tuttur.com” led to allegations of a conflict of interest. Some commentators said this could violate the Turkish Football Federation's (TFF) ethical rules, raising serious questions within the community. Under this pressure, Saran's team acted quickly and announced that Tuttur's activities had been suspended. The business was shut down, and it was announced that Saran had left the holding company. This was an attempt to remove the biggest obstacle to his presidency. Throughout the process, the idea of a trustee was also mentioned on social media and in some news articles. These allegations resonated with fans but were not a strong possibility legally. In the end, Sadettin Saran's presidency was debated most on the premise of a conflict of interest with the betting company, and the steps taken, as stated above, were to lessen this debate.

An extraordinary general assembly was held at Fenerbahçe on September 21, 2025, and Sadettin Saran was elected as the club's 38th president with 12,325 votes in an election attended by 24,732 members. The current president, Ali Koç, received 12,068 votes. The polling station was set up on the site of the former Kenan Evren High School, adjacent to Chobani Stadium, and voting took place at 50 polling stations, starting at 10:00 a.m. and ending at 5:00 p.m. After the congress committee announced the results, Saran took the podium and delivered his first message to the community, saying, “Our greatest responsibility is to be united. There will be no celebrations until we win the championship.”

In his speech, Sadettin Saran also referred to Ali Koç's seven-year presidency and said that this period was a valuable experience. He conveyed a message of unprecedented unity in the club's history, saying, “My biggest dream is for three presidents to lift the cup together.” Ali Koç congratulated Saran, saying, “May the 38th president of Fenerbahçe be a blessing to our community. May our path be clear and our luck be abundant.” Koç also emphasized that the community must now unite against external enemies rather than engage in internal strife. The debates still continue over who would be the new manager of the club, as many fans don’t view Tedesco as skilled enough to manage the game plan of the team. While Ismail Kartal and Aykut Kocaman, with Volkan Demirel alternatives, remain as an option, no further action has been taken to actualize this plan by the new administration.

Written by: Ibrahim Alparslan Ekmekci

Edited by: Defne Taykurt