Vincenzo Montella faces the axe in Turkey as Arda Turan is mentioned

Vincenzo Montella’s future as Turkey coach looks precarious after the national team failed to pick up a single point in the first four Nations League group matches. The pressure has been building since a disappointing World Cup too, where he couldn’t get past the group stage and was eliminated after just two games.

As reported by Mundo Deportivo, following the latest defeat Montella said he felt strong and defended his work and that of his players. Turkish media then point to the idea that the federation is seriously considering ending his contract, with an estimated payout of close to one million euros.

Montella’s situation under pressure

If a dismissal happens, Arda Turan is the name being floated as a possible replacement. Former standout for Turkey, he has played for Galatasaray, Atlético Madrid and Barcelona, and he retired in 2022 before moving into coaching. He started at Eyüpspor, led them to promotion to the Turkish top flight in his second season, and in 2025 joined Shakhtar Donetsk, where he won the league and reached the Conference League semifinals in his first campaign.

The federation’s goal would be to have Turan juggle his Shakhtar role with the national team job, though it’s an uncommon setup and remains to be seen if it works.