Hull City owner Acun Ilicali has held talks with former Newcastle United and Inter Milan midfielder Emre Belözoğlu over the vacant managerial position.
Emre is now one of two leading candidates to replace Ruben Selles, who was sacked by Ilicali on Thursday after guiding City to safety on the final day of the Championship season.
Hull Live exclusively reported on Friday that the 44-year-old was under consideration, but is not the only name in the frame as the club looks for a fifth permanent manager since January 2022.
Owner Ilicali spoke to Hull Live from his home in Istanbul on Friday evening to confirm that Emre was in the running, but so too was another manager currently operating in England and under contract at another club.
News of Emre’s potential appointment at City has sparked widespread anger on social media, with the current Antalyaspor boss the subject of a criminal record because of racism.
In June 2014, Emre became the first Turkish player to be sentenced for racism when he was handed a two-and-a-half-month suspended prison sentence for a racial slur he used against Ivorian midfielder Didier Zokora during a match two years earlier. His sentence was suspended because the court said there were no previous offences and a belief that he would not repeat his despicable behaviour.
Despite being accused on no fewer than three occasions during his time in the Premier League with Newcastle, the FA found no proof and therefore did not charge him.
After being cleared of racism in the Premier League in 2007, he had this to say. "I am a Turk in England. We are ambassadors for our country," Emre told The Times. "Just imagine how awful it would have been if I, of all people, had been found guilty of racism.
"It would have affected my career - and the careers of other Turks trying to go abroad. You know, in Turkish there is a saying: 'Sling mud and the stain will never come off.' Well, I know in my heart that I am not guilty, but if you have such a conviction on your record, how do you ever get away from it?"
Legions of supporters have threatened to boycott games at the MKM Stadium should the ex-Turkey international be appointed as Ilicali’s new head coach. There could also be further ramifications for the club with sponsors and corporate clients.
As a coach, Emre has managed Fenerbahce on an interim basis, Istanbul Basaksehir and Ankaragücü, before moving to Antalyaspor, who currently sit 12th in the Super Lig and are one of the lowest scorers in the competition with 36 goals from their 36 games.
Ilicali, meanwhile, has confirmed that he will conduct a series of media interviews in the coming days and will outline his plans with Hull Live.