Article by Justin Gafiuc – Published Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 4:50 p.m. / Updated Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 4:53 p.m.
Mehmet Topal, 39 years old, is the version prepared behind the scenes by Ioan Varga for his bank CFR Cluj.
With Andrea Mandorlini's dismissal confirmed Tuesday evening, CFR Cluj is working on installing a replacement for the Italian coach.
Although financier Ioan Varga spoke of an agreement “in principle” for the return of Dan Petrescu, at the last minute an alternative to “Badger” appeared, one that is taking shape behind the scenes!
A new, last-minute option for CFR Cluj's bench: Mehmet Topal
The leadership of the vice-champion is now holding discussions with Mehmet Topal, the former important footballer with only two active coaching mandates, both in Romania, at Petrolul Ploiești.
The first contact with the Turkish coach took place right before the match between Petrolul and CFR Cluj, won by the Ploiesti team on Monday evening (1-0). Today, that discussion of principle turned into a settled dialogue, in which Topal showed himself open to the idea of returning to Romania!
It remains for the parties to have a future meeting in Romania, where the final details will be worked out. At this moment, authorized sources of the Gazette report that “the deal is 80% resolved“.
Mehmet Topal, during the Petrolul period
The advantages of Mehmet Topal
Two aspects are in favor of Mehmet Topal. First of all, the Turk will get his Pro license in November, so he won't have the same problems encountered at Petrolul.
Then, the club received good references about Topal from two players: Tidiane Keita, whom the Turk trained at Petrolul, and Islam Slimani, who was Mehmet's colleague at Fenerbahce, in the 2018/2019 season.
So, talks with the Turkish coach are ongoing. Topal was appreciated for the results obtained in Ploiești, with Petrolul, in the two mandates on the bench of the “wolves”: 11 victories, 13 draws, only 7 defeats.
Mehmet Topal is a prominent former footballer, ex-Turkish international with 81 caps and two goals for his country's national team. He played two years in La Liga, in Valencia, respectively in the main 4 forces of Turkey: 4 years in Galatasaray, 7 years in Fenerbahce, two years in Istanbul Basaksehir and one, the last of his career, in Besiktas.
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CFR Cluj occupies the 11th place in the Superleague, with only 13 points accumulated in the first 13 stages. The first play-off position, occupied by Oțelul Galati, is 6 lengths away.
