Ukraine Star Oleksiy Khotsuliak Remains Free Agent, Open to Israel Move

Ukrainian national team winger Oleksiy Khotsuliak, who was linked with Maccabi Haifa in the summer, is still without a club as the transfer window has closed. Local journalist Mykhailo Spivakovskiy suggested that Khotsuliak might regret turning down offers, stating that if the player doesn't secure playing time by mid-October, he may become irrelevant. Khotsuliak, who turns 29 in December, became a free agent after his contract with Ukrainian club Polissya Zhytomyr expired. He is reportedly seeking a net salary of 1.5 million euros per season, a figure considered high for Israeli football. While Khotsuliak has expressed willingness to play in Israel, he is demanding a salary commensurate with his expectations, though he is open to a portion of the fee being structured as a signing bonus. Belgian club Anderlecht had previously made two offers for the player, and Maccabi Haifa also showed interest. Last season, Khotsuliak scored eight goals and provided six assists in 26 appearances in the Ukrainian Premier League. He is a right-sided winger capable of playing anywhere in the attack. He has earned 16 caps for the Ukrainian national team, scoring 6 goals, and his market value was estimated at around 3 million euros. Throughout his career in the Ukrainian league, he has accumulated 56 goals and 36 assists in 280 matches. He has also represented Ukraine at various youth levels.