Ukraine Star Oleksiy Khotsulyak Open to Israel Move Amid Contract Stalemate

Oleksiy Khotsulyak, a winger for the Ukraine national team, remains without a club despite being linked to Maccabi Haifa last summer. A local journalist, Mykhailo Spivakovskyi, commented on Khotsulyak's uncertain future, suggesting the player may regret turning down previous offers. Spivakovskyi stated that Khotsulyak and his agent are approaching a point of no return, and if the player doesn't secure playing time by mid-October, he may become undesirable to any club. The journalist believes Khotsulyak made a mistake by not accepting earlier offers.

Khotsulyak, who turns 29 in December, became a free agent after his contract with Ukrainian club Zhitomir expired. He is considered a prominent player in Ukrainian football, reportedly demanding a net salary of 1.5 million euros per season, a figure significantly higher than what is typically offered in Israeli football. Both Anderlecht, which submitted two offers, and Maccabi Haifa have previously expressed interest in the player.

Khotsulyak himself has indicated a willingness to move to Israel but insists on a salary commensurate with his demands. He is reportedly open to receiving a portion of his high salary as a signing bonus. Last season, Khotsulyak scored eight goals and provided six assists in 26 appearances in Ukraine's top league. He is a right-sided winger capable of playing anywhere in the attack. He has also played for Dnipro-1, Karpaty Lviv, and Desna Chernihiv. Khotsulyak has earned 16 caps for the Ukraine 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 amassed 56 goals and 36 assists in 280 matches. He also represented Ukraine at various youth levels.