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Fenerbahce have entered a new political and sporting era as longtime former president Aziz Yıldırım won a decisive return to power in the club’s extraordinary general assembly election.
Yıldırım defeated challenger Hakan Safi. Held at the stadium complex in Kadıköy, Istanbul, the vote concluded a turbulent period in which Fenerbahçe underwent several leadership changes while continuing their long wait for a Super Lig title.
The result restores Yıldırım to the presidency eight years after stepping down, ending a cycle of instability in recent club politics.
Yıldırım previously led Fenerbahce from 1998 to 2018, one of the longest tenures in Turkish football, winning six league titles and overseeing deep European runs, including a Champions League quarter-final and Europa League semi-final appearance, as well as major infrastructure upgrades.
Fenerbahce are also in the market for a new head coach after sacking Domenico Tedesco following a damaging Istanbul derby defeat to rivals Galatasaray.
Tedesco, who replaced José Mourinho in September, failed to complete the 2025/26 season. The club also dismissed sporting director Devin Özek and football coordinator Berke Celebi, with assistant coach Zeki Murat Gole taking interim charge until the end of the campaign.
According to vi.nl, former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt, currently head coach of FC Dordrecht, has emerged as a candidate for a role at Fenerbahce following Yıldırım’s re-election.
Yıldırım has previously spoken about bringing several club icons back into the fold, with Kuyt among the figures he is said to admire.
The Dutchman previously played for Fenerbahçe between 2012 and 2015. Kuyt only recently signed a contract running until mid-2028 at Dordrecht, where he has spent one season as head coach.
Any move would therefore likely require compensation, although no formal approach has yet been made. Fenerbahce have not yet contacted Kuyt or Dordrecht, and it remains unclear whether they will pursue the idea further.
During his time at Fenerbahce, Dirk Kuyt scored 37 goals in 130 appearances, becoming a fan favourite for his work rate, leadership and consistency.
Kuyt enjoyed a successful six-year spell at Liverpool after joining from Feyenoord in 2006, making over 250 appearances and scoring 71 goals for the club.
Since retiring, he has moved into coaching and is steadily building his reputation, with a strong recent spell at FC Dordrecht strengthening his profile in the Netherlands.