With FIFA announcing this week that contracts for foreign players and coaches in Ukraine and Russia would be put on hold allowing them to leave on loan as long as they register with a new club by April 7.
The excision was labelled “too timid” players union FIFPRO and called for players to be allowed to terminate their contracts instead.
Shakhtar have 12 Brazilian players on their squad list and a number of them are now exploring the possibility of cancelling their deals.
The prospect of league football returning to Ukraine in the near future looks remote and emboldened by FIFPRO’s call, it is understood the likes of highly-rated 23-year-old right-back Dodo and 22-year-old midfielder Tete are among those looking to leave. Wolves and Everton have also been asked about taking £15million-rated winger Pedrinho.
FIFA’s statement earlier this week read: ‘In order to provide players and coaches with the opportunity to work and receive a salary, and to protect Ukrainian clubs, unless the parties to the relevant contract explicitly agree otherwise, all employment contracts of foreign players and coaches with clubs affiliated to the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) will be deemed automatically suspended until the end of the season in Ukraine (30 June 2022), without the need for any action from the parties to this effect.
‘The suspension of a contract as per the paragraphs above will mean that players and coaches will be considered “out of contract” until 30 June 2022 and will therefore be at liberty to sign a contract with another club without facing consequences of any kind.
‘In order for this exception to be applicable and to protect the integrity of competitions, the registration with the new club needs to occur before or on April 7, 2022.
‘To further protect the integrity of competitions, clubs are entitled to register a maximum of two players who have benefited from the exception.’
