Exclusive: Villa and Palace eye bargain deal for Mourinho favourite, has 'special' relationship with Ebere Eze
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Premier League trio Aston Villa, Everton and Crystal Palace are among the clubs looking at Fenerbahce ace Bright Osayi-Samuel with Jose Mourinho hoping to tie the former QPR player down to a new contract.
- Exclusive from Graeme Bailey
After Fenerbahce lost left-back Ferdi Kadioglu to Brighton and Hove Albion over the summer – much to Mourinho’s disappointment – the club’s first-choice right-back is now emerging as a man in high demand from clubs over in England.
Bright Osayi-Samuel will become a free-agent when his contract at the Turkish Super Lig challengers expires in 2025.
And TBR can confirm that there is interest from Aston Villa, Everton and Crystal Palace ahead of the January transfer window, in the hope that Fenerbahce may be forced to accept lowball offers.
Bournemouth, Fulham and Kadioglu’s new employers Brighton are also keeping tabs on a versatile wideman who blossomed in the EFL at Blackpool and Queens Park Rangers before heading to Turkey in 2021.
Aston Villa and Everton chasing Fenerbahce’s Bright Osayi-Samuel
Osayi-Samuel thrived as a ball-carrying winger at QPR, shooting to fame in the Championship with a couple of stunning solo goals Ryan Giggs in his pomp would have been proud of.
The 14-time Nigeria international has adapted impressively to a more defensively-minded role at Fenerbahce, however; his explosive acceleration proving to be a major weapon on the overlap.
Fenerbahce, understandably, are keen to avoid losing Osayi-Samuel either for a cut-price sum in January or for nothing the following summer.
Mourinho has made it clear to the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium bosses – including sporting director Mario Branco – that keeping the 26-year-old in Istanbul is a must.
But interest from a host of English-based clubs, including Champions League Aston Villa, makes life a whole lot complicated for Fenerbahce.
Crystal Palace move would mean Ebere Eze reunion
Villa boss Unai Emery has utilised Ezri Konsa regularly as a right-back in recent times. Osayi-Samuel would offer the Midland giants a different, more natural option on the flank even if Villa do also have Matty Cash and the exciting Kosta Nedeljkovic.
Everton are arguably the team most in need of a right-back as far as Osayi-Samuel’s suitors go. Seamus Coleman and Ashley Young have a combined age of 73, while Nathan Patterson’s injury issues are well-documented.
Fulham may have Osayi-Samuel on their radar with Kenny Tete’s own contract situation in mind, meanwhile. And Crystal Palace potentially view the 2020 QPR Young Player of the Year as well-suited to Oliver Glasner’s wing-back system.
Interestingly, he has already played alongside Palace talisman Ebere Eze, both Loftus Road and at youth level. Osayi-Samuel had been linked with Crystal Palace in the same summer Eze arrived at Selhurst Park.
“I’m not sure many teams have that blistering pace,” then-Queens Park Rangers boss Mark Warburton said after Osayi-Samuel and Eze inspired a 6-1 hammering of Cardiff City four years ago.
“He’s got that sheer pace which terrifies defenders and, when he uses it wisely, he looks a real handful.”
“Me and Bright weren't in the same school team [but] we were in the same district team,” Eze would recall. “It’s a blessing because you don’t usually get to work with people you’ve grown up with.
“He’s like a brother to me, so it’s good to share the field with him and it makes everything we do even more special.”
