The Arda Turan era at Shakhtar Donetsk has officially begun, as the Ukrainian giants kicked off their pre-season training camp in Slovenia. The former Turkish international has arrived with his coaching staff and held his first meeting with the squad - marking the start of a new chapter for the club.

During the team’s first gathering in Slovenia, Turan introduced his backroom team and laid out his vision for the future. To commemorate the occasion, Shakhtar presented their new head coach with a special jersey bearing the number 39 - signifying his place as the 39th manager in the club’s history.

The training camp, based in Ljubljana, is not just about conditioning. It's preparation for competitive football: Shakhtar are gearing up for their upcoming UEFA Europa League qualifying campaign. They face Finnish side Ilves in the first round, with all of their home fixtures in the tournament set to be played at the home ground of NK Olimpija Ljubljana - a temporary base due to ongoing circumstances in Ukraine.

Should Shakhtar overcome Ilves, a tantalising second-round clash awaits - a reunion with Turan’s compatriots at Beşiktaş. That match-up would add another layer of intrigue to Turan’s early days at the helm, potentially pitting the rookie manager against one of Turkey’s biggest clubs.