Ukrainian National Player Oleksiy Hutsulyak Declines Maccabi Haifa Offer Again

Maccabi Haifa is seeking to sign a new foreign winger following Manuel Benson's injury, with Ukrainian national team player Oleksiy Hutsulyak among their top options. The 28-year-old winger, who recently ended his contract with Polissya Zhytomyr and is currently a free agent, has reportedly declined Maccabi Haifa's offer for the second time. Local Ukrainian media reported that Haifa made a renewed attempt to sign Hutsulyak after Benson's injury, but the player rejected the proposal once again.

Hutsulyak is a versatile right winger capable of playing across the attacking line. His previous clubs include Dnipro-1, Karpaty Lviv, and Desna Chernihiv. He has made 16 appearances for the Ukrainian national team, scoring six goals, and is valued at approximately 3.5 million euros. Over his career in the Ukrainian league, he has accumulated 56 goals and 36 assists in 280 matches. He has also represented Ukraine at all youth levels.

His agent, Oleg Avdeyash, recently stated that Hutsulyak demands a salary between one and two million euros per year, depending on the country and club. Avdeyash noted that several Champions League clubs have shown interest, especially as the transfer window nears its close. For context, Maccabi Haifa's highest-ever salary was paid to Dia Saba at around 600,000 euros per season, while Manuel Benson signed for approximately 400,000 euros annually plus a 300,000 euro signing bonus after leaving Burnley.

Maccabi Haifa now faces the challenge of finding a suitable foreign winger replacement amid these financial and competitive constraints.