Trabzonspor chooses 52-year-old Thomas Reis after Tekke's departure

The 52‑year-old German Thomas Reis has been appointed as the new manager of Trabzonspor, where he will take charge of star players Mohamed Salah, Fabinho and André Onana. The appointment follows the departure of Fatih Tekke after a 4‑0 defeat to Ferencváros in the Europa League play‑offs, which saw Trabzon finish in the Conference League.

Tekke's departure and the impact

Fatih Tekke handed in his contract after a painful 4‑0 defeat to Ferencváros in the Europa League play‑offs, which saw Trabzon finish this season in the Conference League.

Tekke saw no further hope in the adventure with Mohamed Salah, Fabinho and André Onana and wanted to step down from his role. The club initially refused his resignation, but after internal squabbling they eventually agreed.

Thomas Reis: from Samsunspor to Ludogorets and now Trabzonspor

The 52‑year-old German Thomas Reis was at the helm of Samsunspor in the Turkish league from 2024 until early 2026, after which he started at Ludogorets Razgrad this summer.

Ludogorets received a surprising offer on Tuesday and, after lengthy negotiations over a fee, the Bulgarian club gave Reis permission to move to Trabzonspor.

Reis, who was previously a coach in Germany of Schalke 04 and VfL Bochum, could not wait to work with world stars such as Salah, Fabinho and André Onana, according to Ludogorets.

At the announcement in Trabzon, Reis said: “Football is changeable and sometimes that happens very quickly.” He continued: “If you receive an offer from a big club like Trabzonspor – a club with a rich history and great ambitions – you don’t hesitate to consider it. I couldn’t say no to the project that Trabzonspor presented to me.”

His first test awaits on Saturday: league leaders Galatasaray will visit Trabzon. After five matches, Reis’s new side sits ninth, with two defeats and two wins.

After the clash with Galatasaray the international break begins, giving Reis plenty of time to get to know his new environment better.