Turkey’s supporters wave flags prior the Euro 2020 football qualification match between Turkey and France at the Buyuksehir Belediyesi stadium in Konya, on June 8, 2019. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
Shakhtar Donetsk manager Arda Turan has arrived in Istanbul aboard a private flight to hold direct talks with the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), following a formal proposal to take charge of the Crescent-Stars alongside his duties with the Ukrainian club.
According to reports in Turkey, the TFF executive board moved swiftly to contact the 39-year-old manager in the wake of Vincenzo Montella’s departure, tabling a unique contractual arrangement that would allow Turan to manage both Shakhtar and the national team simultaneously through the upcoming international cycle.
Turan landed in Istanbul shortly after overseeing Shakhtar’s latest fixture to review the federation’s terms in person. The TFF view the former national team captain as the ideal figure to re-energize the squad, relying on his tactical standing and intimate familiarity with the dressing room culture.
While managing both club and country remains an uncommon arrangement in modern football, the TFF hierarchy are eager to accommodate Turan’s ongoing commitments in Ukraine to secure his appointment without triggering an abrupt exit from Shakhtar.
Turan is expected to conclude discussions with federation officials before returning to Ukraine, with the TFF keen to finalize their technical leadership ahead of the impending international window.
