Running a successful football club in a country at war is no easy feat, never mind one with the history and prestige of Shakhtar.
Over the past 20 years the club’s model has been to buy promising young Brazilian talents, develop them and then sell them to Europe’s top clubs for profit.
Fernandinho, Douglas Costa, Willian and Fred are just a few who used Shakhtar as a stepping stone to Europe’s elite.
Shakhtar have always blended South American flair with homegrown talents from their academy – the £89 million sale of Mykhailo Mudryk to Chelsea in 2023 showed that can be a profitable avenue as well.
However, Fifa’s decision in 2022 to allow both foreign and homegrown players to leave Ukrainian clubs for free because of the war left Shakhtar in a difficult position.
“It was a big problem because we lost top talents. We lost 14 players and coaching staff,” said Palkin. “So we started to build a new Ukrainian team.”
Thanks to the relationship they had built up with clubs and players in Brazil, Shakhtar have gradually returned to their model.
Turan has 12 Brazilians in his squad, with more expected to arrive in the summer. Even with the uncertainty of war, Brazilians jump at the chance to join them.
“We are not selling them comfort, because everybody understands the war, it’s not comfort. We are selling them their career pathway,” Palkin said.
“We lost our home, but we didn’t lose our identity. We follow our procedures, we follow our model, what we are building.”
