Turkish media have previously reported that Pep Guardiola has held talks with Trabzonspor. Now his agent has cleared up the Spaniard’s future.
Pep Guardiola’s agent has dismissed reports that the Spaniard is on his way to Turkey, where he is said to have joined his former rival and Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah at Trabzonspor.
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His agent was contacted to verify the reports, confirming that Guardiola will not return to the coaching job in the 2026/27 season – and dismissing rumours of a move to Trabzonspor.
Guardiola’s agent denies Trabzonspor rumours: Says Spaniard will not coach any team in 2026/27
Yesterday, there were reports that Guardiola had been offered a solid salary of €13 million by Super Lig club Trabzonspor, which would have brought him together with former Premier League rival Salah.
The Spaniard has previously been clear in his praise of the Egyptian. When both he and Salah left their respective clubs last season, Guardiola recorded a video greeting to the Liverpool icon in which he expressed his admiration.
“He was a headache. Salah, [Andrew] Robertson, all these players deserve my immense respect,” the former Manchester City manager said. “The way we played, I think [Manchester] City was perfect for them. Space at the back and fantastic crosses with [Trent] Alexander-Arnold, with Robertson,” Guardiola continued, looking back at the iconic Premier League rivalry.
According to AS, the Spaniard’s agent has since confirmed: “Pep will not coach any club or national team this season”, amid talk of Guardiola swapping the Premier League for the Super Lig.
After securing Salah’s services, Trabzonspor has emerged as an economic superpower in Turkey – and well positioned to break Galatasaray’s useless grip on the Super Lig title.
Their rivals are chasing Turkish top-flight football history: a fifth straight trophy, which will bring their Super Lig titles up to 27.
78 teams have participated in the league since its inception, and only six have lifted the trophy. Trabzonspor, which has seven, is the only team outside Istanbul to have won more Super Lig titles.
If Guardiola had chosen to train in Turkey – which he can still do, after 2026/27 – his journey with Trabzonspor could have mirrored his exploits in the Premier League.
With Manchester City, the Spaniard lifted the team from being occasional English league champions to possessing the second most titles in Premier League history.
Guardiola was rumoured to earn over £20 million annually at City. In comparison, the reported €13 million offered by Trabzonspor pales in comparison.
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How does Mohamed Salah do in the Super Lig – and can Trabzonspor win the title?
Since leaving Liverpool – ending the Anfield era as the club’s all-time leading scorer and top assist player in the Premier League – the Egyptian has enjoyed Super Lig football.
In three league starts for Trabzonspor, Salah has scored four goals and recorded one assist. Two of those contributions came last week, when the team crushed Genclirbirligi 5-0 at Papara Park.
The Turkish top club are in fourth place in the Super Lig, with a home game against Galatasaray next Saturday. Tonight, Salah’s men face Konyaspor at 18:00 UK time.
It has not gone completely smoothly for the Egyptian, who was on the pitch in both games in Trabzonspor’s two encounters in the Europa League qualifiers.
Against Hungarian side Ferencvaros, Salah’s side suffered a 5-0 defeat (on aggregate). In the away game, which ended 4-0 to their opponent, then manager and former Trabzonspor player Faith Tekke withdrew after the game.
The club’s board did not accept his dismissal. But after the 2-1 loss away to newly promoted Amed, where Salah scored the first goal, Tekke was allowed to leave.
Huseyin Cimsir led the team in the big win against Genclirbirligi last weekend, and will remain at the helm until Trabzonspor find a permanent manager.
With a win tonight, Salah’s men are likely to occupy second place in the Super Lig table. The search for a new manager – with Guardiola ruled out until the end of 2027 – continues.
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