PARIS - Lyon coach Paul Le Guen is set to join Turkish giants Fenerbahce next season, Le Parisien newspaper reported on Tuesday.
The report was later denied though in Istanbul by the club`s president.
The highly-rated coach has already announced that he will step down from his current job at the end of the season having guided the side to a fourth consecutive French league title.
Le Guen has expressed an interest in coaching abroad and Fenerbahce are on the lookout for a new man at the helm after losing 5-1 to arch-rivals Galatasaray in the Turkish Cup final.
The Istanbul side`s coach Christoph Daum has lost the support of his board of directors despite the side topping the league table and is on the way out, according to Turkish press reports.
Le Parisien said that Le Guen was close to finalising a three-year contract with Fenerbahce with club officials in Lyon this week to seal the deal.
Fenerbahce chairman Aziz Yildrum, however, poured cold water on the report that le Guen was on his way to Istanbul.
"Why would the directors of a team which stands two matches from winning the championship want to change coaches," he said.
05/17/2005 15:43 GMT