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Arda Turan · Shakhtar Donetsk · Turkey · Vincenzo MontellaUnconfirmed report

Report: Turkey could replace Montella with Shakhtar coach Arda Turan, who might keep both jobs

By the Data Desk · ·

First reported by Milliyet, via Takvim · 7 OCT 08:41

Turkey's football federation has decided to part with Vincenzo Montella, Milliyet reported on Wednesday, after four Nations League defeats in a row. Shakhtar Donetsk coach Arda Turan is the favourite to replace him, and according to journalist Yakup Çınar the federation would let him keep his Shakhtar job.

  • Turkey have lost all four Nations League games, 2-11 on goals, and six of their last seven.
  • Arda Turan won the Ukrainian title with Shakhtar last season; his contract runs to June 2027.
  • No official decision yet from the TFF or Shakhtar.
Why it mattersFor Shakhtar fans this is not a Turkish story. The champions of Ukraine could end up sharing their coach with a national team that plays Belgium and France in November.

Turkey lost 1-0 to France, 4-1 at home to Italy in Bursa, 3-0 in Belgium and 3-1 to Italy in Bologna on Monday. They scored two and conceded eleven, the most in League A, and fans called for Montella to resign. According to Milliyet, federation president İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu has decided to end his time in charge.

Montella, 52, took over in September 2023 and reached the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, then led Turkey to the 2026 World Cup, where they went out in the group stage. His contract runs to Euro 2028. Reports differ on the exit terms: Takvim and Football Italia write about five months' salary as compensation, while Hürriyet says he asked to leave and will be paid nothing.

Turan, 39, has coached Shakhtar since July 2025. He won the Ukrainian Premier League with three games to spare, 11 points clear of Polissya, the club's 16th title, and Milliyet put his record at 30 wins, 11 draws and 7 defeats in his first 48 games. Yeniçağ, citing Çınar, says the federation plans to offer him the job while he stays at Shakhtar.

Turkey's next games are against Belgium on 12 November and France on 15 November. Neither the TFF nor Shakhtar has commented.

Our take · Editorial view

Shakhtar should say no to a part-time coach

If the report is right, we think the dual role suits Turkey and hurts Shakhtar. The last famous case, Guus Hiddink running Russia and Chelsea in 2009, lasted four months, and Shakhtar are fighting on two fronts with a coach who has won 30 of his first 48 games. If Turan takes the Turkey job, we expect him to leave Shakhtar by the summer, not to do both.

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Updates

  1. Unconfirmed report Half confirmed. On Friday the Turkish Football Federation announced that it had decided not to continue with Vincenzo Montella as national coach (statement quoted by Tuttosport). It named no successor; Tuttosport calls Arda Turan the favourite, but neither the federation nor Shakhtar has said anything about him. The Montella part of the report was right; the Turan part is still open.
  2. Still open, but the Turan part has moved against the report. After Shakhtar's 2-1 win over Kolos on 17 October, Turan told the club's website: "I'm here now, and I'm ready to help Shakhtar for as long as they count on me." Sabah (via Haberler.com) reported on 12 October that he told the federation he would not leave Shakhtar, and Ajansspor wrote on 18 October that the TFF has turned to other candidates, led by Abdullah Avcı; the TFF has named no coach.
Unconfirmed reportAt the time of writing, this information has not been confirmed. The analysis above is the view of our editorial team.
Sources