Steven Gerrard is reportedly in Istanbul to hold talks about taking the vacant manager position at Trabzonspor, with the former Aston Villa boss recently in contention for the Leeds United job.
According to Karar, the English coach has been in the Turkish capital to discuss the possibility of taking over the Black Sea giants under a potential new club president, with current vice-president Ertugrul Dogan meeting with Gerrard in Istanbul.
The former Rangers manager was dismissed from Villa in October after a dismal start to the Premier League season, and it now appears that Gerrard could be set for a stunning return to management with Trabzonspor, who last year won the Turkish Super Lig for the first time this century.
With Gerrard one of the contenders to replace Jesse Marsch at Leeds according to journalist Graeme Bailey, the English coach heading to Turkey would have been an unimaginable career turn for many supporters and pundits given what was being reported a few weeks ago.
Indeed, with the Scottish Daily Express also reporting that Gerrard is an option for PSG, it seems like nobody can quite predict where the Liverpool legend will end up next. Yet it now appears that Trabzonspor could be a realistic option for the English coach.
Although the destination might be one nobody could have predicted, to say this is a step back for Gerrard would be disrespectful to Trabzonspor, who in the last three years have made incredible strides to become one of the best clubs in Turkey.
Gerrard could be an unexpected hit at Trabzonspor
As mentioned, Trabzonspor have been on a sensational rise in the last few years, with the Karadeniz Firtinasi last season breaking Istanbul’s grip on the Turkish Super Lig and bringing the title outside Crossroads of the World for the first time since 2010, and Gerrard could be a surprise hit.
Whilst the Englishman’s spell at Villa was a disappointment, Gerrard is still the manager who broke Celtic’s stranglehold in Scotland with Rangers, and the 42-year-old could find similar success in Turkey with Trabzonspor.
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