Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard has emerged as a candidate for the vacant managerial role at Trabzonspor, joining a shortlist that includes Marcelino, Sérgio Conceição, and Vítor Pereira following the departure of Fatih Tekke.
The prospect of Gerrard’s appointment carries particular significance for Liverpool supporters, as it presents an opportunity for him to work alongside Mohamed Salah for the first time. The Egyptian star recently joined Trabzonspor on a two-year contract following his historic spell at Anfield.
The two Reds legends share a strong mutual respect, having previously sat down for an exclusive joint interview discussing their careers and famous goals. Gerrard notably described Salah as the world’s best player during his peak and later publicly defended him during turbulent moments at Liverpool, urging the club to protect his status.
Turkish media outlets report that Gerrard was proposed to the Trabzonspor board, with preliminary contact initiated with the 46-year-old manager, though no final agreement has been reached. Meanwhile, the club hierarchy has also begun sounding out Conceição and Pereira.
Gerrard began his coaching career within Liverpool’s youth academy before taking the helm at Rangers, leading the Scottish side to an unbeaten league title in the 2020–21 season and ending Celtic’s nine-year domestic dominance.
He subsequently moved to Aston Villa in November 2021, though his tenure ended after less than a year following a downturn in results. Gerrard then spent 18 months in charge of Saudi side Al-Ettifaq before departing by mutual consent in January 2025, remaining out of management since.
The managerial vacancy at Trabzonspor follows a turbulent period that began with a 4–0 defeat to Hungarian side Ferencváros, completing a 5–0 aggregate exit from the UEFA Europa League. Fatih Tekke submitted his resignation shortly after, which was initially rejected by the board before being accepted following a 2–1 league defeat to Amedspor.
Arda Turan was among the initial names considered to succeed Tekke; however, Turkish reports confirm he declined to step away from his project at Shakhtar Donetsk. The Trabzonspor president clarified that Turan remains under contract and is not currently under consideration, steering the club toward foreign managerial candidates—with Gerrard standing out as a high-profile option.
