Former Ukraine manager Yozhef Sabo is concerned about reports saying Dynamo Kiev defender Vitaliy Mykolenko is closing in on a £20 million move to Premier League giants Everton, speaking to UA Football.
The step up from the Ukranian top-flight and the Premier League, Sabo points out, is quite a steep one.
Would Mykolenko benefit from taking an intermediate step elsewhere before heading to the unforgiving land that is England’s top-flight?
The Ukraine international is just 22 years of age, after all.
And his underwhelming performances in the Champions League group-stages certainly suggest that Mykolenko has a lot to learn about football at the highest level.
Is Vitaliy Mykolenko Everton’s Lucas Digne replacement?
Play Sport claim that Everton are closing in on a deal that will see Mykolenko join for £20 million.
Rafa Benitez’s out-of-sorts side are reported to have fought off competition from Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
“The Premier League is a completely different league, a different championship and, of course, it’s impossible to compare it with the UPL,” Sabo says.
“I will not say that the championship in England is rough, but it is quite tough. How will Vitaliy take to it? In Ukraine, they still play differently.
“In my opinion, it is too early for Vitaliy to go to the English Premier League. He plays well in the attack, connects (with his team-mates), makes passes – but this is in the UPL.
“We haven’t seen that in the Champions League.”
Mykolenko could potentially replace Lucas Digne at Goodison Park. The £18 million Frenchman has missed the last two Premier League games after a high-profile fall-out with Rafa Benitez.
It is the presence of Benitez himself, however, that has Sabo worried.
What will happen to Mykolenko if the Everton boss is fired just weeks after bringing him to Merseyside?
“At Everton, the head coach may change,” Sabo adds.
“If he is signed by one manager and another comes, he may be out of favour. But God forbid that everything works out. Let’s see.
“It will be good for the national team.”
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