Merih Demiral, who grew up in Fenerbahçe's youth system but moved to Europe before joining the senior team, has expressed a strong desire to wear the Fenerbahçe jersey one day. He is currently playing for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, earning 10 million Euro annually. Due to his high salary, he will not be joining Fenerbahçe at this time. Discussions are planned for the summer transfer window. His contract with Al-Ahli expires on June 30, 2026.

José Mourinho, who has recently taken over as the coach of Fenerbahçe, reportedly has a strong desire to bolster his defense by acquiring Merih Demiral from Al-Ahli. Demiral, with his experience in Turkish football, is seen as a potential key player in Fenerbahçe's defensive strategy. Influenced by Mourinho's ambition to compete at both domestic and international levels, the club is said to have initiated negotiations to bring him back to Turkey. Although Demiral was previously linked to Besiktas, sources indicate that Mourinho's involvement could potentially sway the decision in favor of Fenerbahçe. It is suggested that Demiral is open to the idea of returning to Turkish football, particularly under the guidance of a renowned coach like Mourinho.

Fenerbahçe has renewed its interest in Merih Demiral, who had previously been reported by Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano to be staying at Al-Ahli. Fenerbahçe's coach, Jose Mourinho, is reportedly dissatisfied with the performance of Becao and Djiku and has requested a new center-back. According to Takvim, Fenerbahçe is expected to make an offer to Al-Ahli for the 26-year-old center-back in the coming days. Merih's current market value is 16 million euros.

Fenerbahçe is interested in signing Merih Demiral. Al-Ahli has granted permission for negotiations.