Arda Turan the leading candidate to replace Montella as Turkey coach

Arda Turan, the current head coach of Shakhtar, is the leading candidate to take over as coach of the Türkiye national team, should the Turkish Football Federation decide to dismiss Italian coach Vincenzo Montella.

These developments come as Turkey's national team has seen a decline in results, having lost six of their last seven matches, including four consecutive defeats in the UEFA Nations League. The latest loss was against Italy, with a score of 3-1 on Monday, increasing the pressure on Montella and putting his future with the national team at stake.

Vincenzo Montella took over as coach of Türkiye in September 2023, before renewing his contract in June 2025 until the European Championship 2028. According to the Turkish newspaper "Milliyet", the Turkish Football Federation may pay the Italian coach a compensation equivalent to five months of his salary, amounting to approximately €915,000, in the event of his dismissal. The official picture is expected to become clear on Friday.

Arda Turan, aged 39, is a frontrunner to succeed Montella, despite being under contract with Shakhtar Donetsk. Turan previously had a notable playing experience with FC Barcelona, having joined the Catalan side from Atlético in 2015. He began his official appearances for the club in January 2016 due to a ban preventing Barcelona from registering players. Turan played 55 matches for Barcelona, scoring 15 goals, and won LaLiga, the Copa del Rey twice, and the Supercopa de España.

Arda Turan began his coaching career in April 2023 with Ayyub Spor, leading them to the Turkish Second League title and promotion to the Süper Lig in the 2023-2024 season, before finishing the following season in sixth place. These results led him to Shakhtar Donetsk, who signed him in May 2025, marking his first experience outside Türkiye as a coach.

Despite Arda Turan's name being at the forefront of reports regarding the succession of Vincenzo Montella, the Italian coach's dismissal has not yet been officially announced. Furthermore, Turan's move to lead the Türkiye national team will require resolving his situation with Shakhtar.