Dirk Kuyt appointed interim Fenerbahce manager to set up Liverpool reunion

Kuyt, ex-Liverpool forward and Fenerbahce assistant, takes interim charge ahead of Champions League clash with the Reds next week.

Dirk Kuyt has been appointed interim manager of Fenerbahce following Ismail Kartal's resignation after a 2-1 Super Lig defeat to Galatasaray on Monday. The 46-year-old, who was serving as Kartal's assistant, will remain in charge "until a new head coach is appointed".

Kuyt will oversee his first domestic game this weekend against Goztepe, with Fenerbahce currently fifth in the table. His immediate focus then turns to welcoming his former club Liverpool to Istanbul for a Champions League fixture next week.

The Dutchman spent six years at Liverpool, scoring 71 goals in 285 appearances and winning the League Cup in 2012. He also had a previous spell at Fenerbahce as a player, winning the Super Lig and Turkish Cup. Kuyt has held managerial roles at ADO Den Haag, Beerschot and FC Dordrecht before joining Fenerbahce's coaching staff in June 2026.