Former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt has been appointed Fenerbahce's interim coach, a week before the Turkish club host his old side in the Champions League.

The 46-year-old steps up from his role as assistant to Ismail Kartal, who resigned after Fenerbahce's 2-1 defeat by arch-rivals Galatasaray on Monday. Fenerbahce said Kuyt would hold the post until a new head coach is appointed, and the club confirmed the change on Wednesday.

In a statement, the club said: "Following Ismail Kartal's resignation, our club has assigned Dirk Kuyt as the technical supervisor of our Football A team until our new head coach is determined." Kartal had already tried to step down once before, in September, but stayed in the post after his resignation was not accepted.

Kuyt's first game in charge will be a league match against Goztepe on Saturday, before Fenerbahce host Liverpool in a Champions League group-stage tie on Wednesday, 4 November (17:45 GMT). It is a reunion less than a week into his time in charge, and one that will put the former striker straight into the spotlight.

The Dutchman spent six years with Liverpool, winning the League Cup in 2012 and scoring 71 goals in 285 appearances for the club. He also won 104 caps for the Netherlands, and his work rate and versatility made him one of the most recognisable figures of his era at Anfield.

He joined Fenerbahce in 2012 after leaving Liverpool, spending three years at the club as a player and winning the Turkish league title in 2013-14, before a spell at Feyenoord and retirement as a player in 2017. His managerial career has since taken him to ADO Den Haag, Beerschot and FC Dordrecht, and he returned to Fenerbahce as assistant coach in June 2026.

Kuyt takes over a side fifth in the Turkish top flight, six points behind leaders Galatasaray after Monday's derby defeat. Fenerbahce drew 2-2 with Slavia Prague in their last Champions League outing, while Liverpool beat Villarreal 4-3 in theirs, so the hosts will need a result against the Reds to keep their European campaign on track. The Liverpool tie is part of Champions League Matchday 4 on 3–4 November, a round that also includes Manchester United against Roma and Barcelona against Aston Villa.

For now, the job is Kuyt's until Fenerbahce name a permanent successor. His first test comes at home to Goztepe on Saturday, and then comes the tie that will dominate the build-up all week: Fenerbahce against Liverpool, with their new interim coach facing the club where he made his name.