Vincenzo Montella is packing his bags; Turkey already has a replacement

Arda Turan is the leading candidate to become Turkey’s new head coach. The former midfielder, currently at the helm of Shakhtar Donetsk—with whom he won the most recent Ukrainian league title—could take over from Vincenzo Montella, who is now on the verge of being fired following the Turkish national team’s disappointing results.

According to reports from several local media outlets, the Turkish Football Federation has already decided to part ways with the Italian coach. The main factors cited are the four consecutive losses in the Nations League—which resulted in relegation to League B—and the team’s lackluster performance at the World Cup. Turkey had returned to the competition after a 24-year absence but failed to advance past the group stage.

According to information published by the daily newspaper Milliyet, the separation is now a done deal, and only the bureaucratic and financial details remain to be settled. Montella, who earns a monthly salary of approximately 183,000 euros, is expected to receive a severance package equivalent to five months’ pay. The official announcement could come by the end of the week.

Appointed head coach in 2023, Montella led Turkey in 40 matches—including official matches and friendlies—posting 21 wins, 14 losses, and five draws. However, the team’s recent performance has jeopardized his position: in the last seven matches—including World Cup and Nations League games—the national team has managed just one win against six losses.