Arda Turan’s Champions League commitment complicates Trabzonspor manager search

Trabzonspor’s efforts to appoint a new head coach have been complicated by Arda Turan’s involvement with Shakhtar, who are set to compete in the UEFA Champions League.

The Turkish club are continuing their search for a permanent successor to Fatih Tekke, who was dismissed after a poor run of results. According to Turkish website Ajansspor, Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan recently held talks with Turan in an attempt to persuade the former Atletico de Madrid midfielder to take charge of the team.

Dogan is understood to have a strong relationship with Turan, but Ajansspor reports that securing his appointment would be difficult because he is expected to remain with Shakhtar for their Champions League campaign.

Trabzonspor are also considering two experienced alternatives. Former Galatasaray manager Fatih Terim and Senol Gunes, the former Turkiye manager and a Trabzonspor legend, are both reported to be among the candidates for the position.

The club announced on Tuesday that Tekke had been removed from his role and that Huseyin Cimsir would take temporary charge. Trabzonspor’s next match is against Genclerbirligi on Sunday in the fourth round of the Turkish league.

The managerial uncertainty follows a difficult start to the season. Trabzonspor were beaten 2-1 by Amedspor in the third round of the Turkish league, with Egypt international Mohamed Salah playing the full match and scoring his side’s only goal.

That defeat came after a heavy European loss, with Trabzonspor going down 4-0 to Hungarian club Ferencvaros in the play-off round for the UEFA Europa League.

The club had initially rejected Tekke’s resignation following the defeat by Ferencvaros. However, after Trabzonspor suffered another loss against Amedspor, the board decided to end his tenure.

Trabzonspor are now seeking a manager capable of reversing the team’s fortunes while also providing stability after the departure of Tekke. Turan remains the preferred target mentioned in the report, but his commitments with Shakhtar have made the move uncertain.

The club’s immediate priority will be Sunday’s meeting with Genclerbirligi, which will be overseen by interim manager Cimsir unless a permanent appointment is made beforehand. The match comes at a crucial point for a side that has already suffered successive setbacks in domestic and European competition.

With Turan’s availability in doubt, the experience of Terim and Gunes could become increasingly important to Trabzonspor’s plans. Both have extensive knowledge of Turkish football, while Gunes also has a long-standing connection with the club as one of its most celebrated figures.