Search for a Head Coach at Fenerbahçe: Foreign Candidates Clarified

After Ismail Kartal's resignation at Fenerbahçe, President Aziz Yıldırım and executives initiated a search process focused on a foreign head coach. The candidate list prepared by the club features names such as Julian Nagelsmann, Antonio Conte, and Sergio Conceiçao.

Following Ismail Kartal's departure at Fenerbahçe, the management prioritized working with a foreign head coach rather than domestic candidates. In the efforts conducted by President Aziz Yıldırım and his team, Julian Nagelsmann is at the top of the head coach candidate list. It is known that the 39-year-old young manager, who has managed clubs like Hoffenheim, Leipzig, and Bayern Munich as well as the German National Team in his career, left his position following unsuccessful results at the 2026 World Cup.

For Antonio Conte, who ranks second on the list, his high salary expectation stands out as a factor that needs to be overcome; although the management does not keep this name as the primary option, they plan to sit at the table to reduce the cost. Continuing their search for resources, the management has also included Sergio Conceiçao, who has been managing Saudi Arabian representative Al-Ittihad since October 2025, on the list in case no results are achieved from these two names. It was reported that Fenerbahçe Football Branch Head Cihan Kamer will serve as the sole authorized person in the meetings with the candidates and will initiate the efforts in the coming days.