Wolves waved goodbye to their latest captain after Nelson Semedo announced his exit from Molineux on Wednesday.
Wolves were sold down the river by the length of time it took 31-year-old to decide on his future after Semedo was offered a four-year contract at the end of May.
The Portuguese full-back was a crucial part of Vitor Pereira’s squad, but sadly, the club were unable to convince him to stay as he sought a fresh challenge.
On Wednesday, it was revealed that Semedo was closing in on a move to Fenerbahce after months of speculation surrounding his next steps.
The former Barcelona man was then unveiled as Fenerbahce’s latest signing on Thursday and has since spoken about the move in his first interview.
Nelson Semedo explains why he joined Fenerbahce
Fenerbahce play Feyenoord in the Champions League third qualifying round. The prospect of European football has always appealed to Semedo, and that was arguably one of the factors behind him joining the club.
However, the main reason he chose the Turkish giants over any other club was the possibility of working under Jose Mourinho, who he believes is ‘one of the best’ in the world.
“I’m really happy and grateful to be here. Fenerbahçe was a club I wanted to come to because our goals are the same. I am very happy to be a part of this family,” Semedo said.
“I am very glad to work with Mourinho. He is a very good coach. One of the best in the world. It is also number one in Portugal. Working with Mourinho, learning something from him is a privilege. I’m excited to start.”
Considering the miracles Pereira has worked at Molineux, he may not appreciate the comments he’s made about Mourinho, although they are warranted.
The former Manchester United boss has won a whopping 26 trophies across his career, including two Champions Leagues. Therefore, it is no surprise that Mourinho persuaded him to join Fenerbahce.
Jose Mourinho tried to sign Semedo previously
Wolves have already been hard at work sourcing a replacement for their captain. Marc Pubill was closing in on a switch to Molineux before Atletico Madrid performed a transfer hijack to sign the 22-year-old.
Pereira will continue identifying new targets in the market to address the issue and offer competition for the likes of Rodrigo Gomes and Ki-Jana Hoever.
In a summer of missed opportunities, Mourinho will be able to sympathise with his Portuguese compatriot, as he tried to sign Semedo on several occasions.
At the start of 2017, Manchester United were close to capturing the right-back from Benfica when Mourinho was in charge but a move never materialised.
He then tried during his time at Tottenham in 2020, but again, interest in Semedo never came to fruition.
Years after his last failed attempt, Mourinho has finally signed someone who had eluded his grasp previously, and now, the duo will hope to have great success together.