Shakhtar Donetsk is close to appointing a new head coach. According to Turkish journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu, the Ukrainian club is in active negotiations with Arda Turan, a famous former player of Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and the Turkish national team.
The meeting between Shakhtar representatives and the 38-year-old specialist took place in London. The first attempt to agree on cooperation was back in March, but then the parties did not reach an agreement. Now, according to the source, the deal is in the final stages.
Arda Turan is currently the head coach of Turkish side Eyupspor, which is represented by former Shakhtar captain Taras Stepanenko. Turan may change club registration after the end of the season.
Shakhtar is currently led by Croatian Marino Pušić, who joined in October 2023. Under his leadership, the team has played 67 matches, won 43, drawn 10 and suffered 14 losses. The Donetsk team currently occupies third place in the UPL standings.
Who is Arda Turan?
Arda Turan is a legend of Turkish football. He is a graduate of Galatasaray, where he began and ended his playing career. In 2011, he moved to Atletico Madrid, where he became a key player and won the Spanish championship, the Spanish Cup, the Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup.
In 2015, Turan joined Barcelona for €34 million, making him the most expensive Turkish player in history. He won the league, the Spanish Cup and the Spanish Super Cup with the Catalans.
The midfielder played 100 matches for Turkey, scoring 17 goals. He was one of the team's leaders at Euro 2008, where the Turks reached the semi-finals.
After ending his playing career, Turan began coaching, taking over as manager of Eyupspor in 2023.
