Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergei Palkin confirms that Manor Solomon ‘is a Fulham player’ following protracted negotiations with the Premier League club, speaking to The Athletic.
It’s been a tough year for Shakhtar, and Ukrainian football as a whole. And the Solomon saga is an indication as to just how complex things have become for even the country’s biggest football clubs since the Russian invasion.
Fulham had agreed a deal to sign Solomon months ago for a fee of around £7 million. The Israel international is now set to join the West London outfit on loan instead, however. This comes after FIFA ruled that foreign players contracted to clubs in Ukraine could suspend their contracts until the summer of 2023.
“Because of FIFA’s decision, FC Shakhtar has lost a chance to transfer four foreign players for the total amount of about 50 million euros,” Palkin explains.
Fulham set to announce Shakhtar Donetsk’s Manor Solomon at last
By the time Solomon returns to Shakhtar next year, he will have just six months left on his contract. As such, Shakhtar have lost any chance they had of securing a sizeable transfer fee. Solomon, not so long ago, was valued in the £20 million bracket.
“We had almost exchanged contracts and agreed everything,” Palkin adds. “But, when FIFA issued this decision, they (Fulham) sent us an email to say that because of the FIFA decision, we are withdrawing our contracts and conditions and everything and we will take this player.
“There is completely nothing we can do to stop that. He signed a contract with them and is a Fulham player.”
Solomon is yet to be officially unveiled as a Fulham player. But he was spotted in the stands during The Cottagers’ 2-0 pre-season victory over Nice this weekend.
Under FIFA legislation, Fulham must wait until the start of August before they can register Solomon. The talented left-winger will help replace the creativity lost following Fabio Carvalho’s move to Liverpool.
The Cottagers have already brought in Joao Palhinha and Andreas Pereira. Luca Pellegrini of Juventus and Bernd Leno of Arsenal could follow.
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