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Fenerbahçe hire Daum, sign Bilica

Christoph Daum has returned to Fenerbahçe SK for a second spell as the club's coach and the Turkish side have also been busy in the transfer market, bringing in centre-back Fábio Bilica from Sivasspor.

Christoph Daum was in charge at Köln for the past three seasons
Christoph Daum was in charge at Köln for the past three seasons ©Getty Images

Fenerbahçe SK have installed Christoph Daum as their new coach, the German returning to the club for a second spell in charge.

Happy return
Daum, who resigned from the Fenerbahçe helm at the end of the 2005/06 season, has signed a three-year contract with the UEFA Europa League contenders and said: "I never forgot Turkey. My mind was always here. Fenerbahçe are one of the best clubs in the world. I feel like I can work for them 24 hours a day." Club president Aziz Yıldırım added: "We wanted him to work for us again. We have come together to complete an unfinished project. We have promised to win the league and Daum is part of this objective."

'Back home'
The 55-year-old former 1. FC Köln, Bayer 04 Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart coach has extensive experience of Turkish football. This is his fourth stint at a Süper Lig club having led Beşiktaş JK between 1993 and 1995 and again during the 2000/01 season before his three-year tenure at Fenerbahçe. He has taken charge of 228 league games in the Turkish top flight and added that he felt he had been "brought back home".

Bilica capture
The Istanbul giants, who enter the inaugural UEFA Europa League in the third qualifying round, have also moved to strenthen their defence after bringing in Brazilian defender Fábio Bilica from Sivasspor for €2.5m. The 30-year-old has agreed a three-year contract with fellow centre-back Yasin Çakmak travelling in the opposite direction along with three as yet unspecified loan signings. Bilica was ever-present in the league last season after joining Sivasspor a year ago from Romanian side CFR 1907 Cluj. The former Köln and Grêmio Foot-ball Porto Alegrense stopper said: "Arriving at Fenerbahçe is one of the highlights of my career. I've been successful with Sivasspor but the level has now been raised. I promise to play with a fighting spirit."

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