Hans Hamid

As early as 2007 he was known to be in negotiations to buy the club from Uefa, but after talks were cut short in March 2009, Fenerbahce appointed a board member as the chairman, with Hernan Crespo as president.

In 2009, Fenerbahce’s TV rights fee to be increased, the club’s salary cap to be increased from €65m to €82.3m a year and the transfer fee, which initially was set at €8m, to rise to €11.5m.

This, though, was only two years before Fenerbahce, then called Efes, was reduced from the second to the fourth division in Turkey.

But Fenerbahce have done better since the rise to the top flight with two promotions this season, but they still cannot afford to pay the salaries of players.

At 3-2-1, Fenerbahce are fifth, one point behind rivals Alanyaspor, two behind Zenit St Petersburg, one behind Galatasaray and one ahead of Besiktas.

They have four matches in their home league campaign – home to Galatasaray, in the Europa League and away to Besiktas, home to Besiktas and away to Osmanlispor.

With all four on the current fixture list, Fenerbahce may need to play away to three top-flight sides in three consecutive matches to get the points required to advance from this group.

Their away form has been a real concern and they have conceded 15 goals in 12 clashes, including six from just six shots.

They are still unbeaten at home this season, with goals from Ahmed Elmohamady and Mohamed Diene.

But they are also without a win in 23 competitive games.

This has not gone unnoticed by Fenerbahce boss Akyol.

“I had an offer for us before we won their fans’ election, but we kept quiet.”