Shakhtar’s head coach Arda Turan has opened up about the club’s first-team finances and their approach to developing young talent.
“Our total wage budget stands at 17 million euros. That’s the full amount we pay all our players,” Turan revealed.
When asked if this figure is lower than the starting lineups of Galatasaray or Fenerbahçe, he responded, “Football is football – it’s a game that can’t be measured by money. I don’t think that’s the right way to look at it. Why? Because Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, and Beşiktaş have enormous potential. They play in packed stadiums, have major sponsors, and that’s completely normal. So I don’t believe such comparisons are fair. Their conditions and expectations are entirely different.”
He went on to explain Shakhtar’s distinct strategy: “Our club believes it can compete with the best by signing young, promising players. There is a culture of patience here, a culture of player development.”
Turan recalled advice from Dario Srna: “He told me, ‘In six months, Lucas Ferreira will be much stronger.’ Now, when I look at Dario, I think: ‘Lucas Ferreira is truly a great player. But would Beşiktaş wait six months for a newcomer to adapt? No, they wouldn’t.’” The coach shared these insights during an interview with the KAFA Sports YouTube channel.
Related Stories
