Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Manor Solomon after a FIFA judgement indicated that he will be free to move Shakhtar Donetsk this summer.
Following the verdict, which was confirmed on Monday, the Israeli winger, who has been playing for Fulham on a 12-month contract after suspending his contract at Shakhtar last year, will leave the Ukrainian club this summer.
Fulham would like to sign him on a permanent basis, and Tottenham would be first in line if he were to leave Craven Cottage, though no decision has been made and he will have other offers.
Solomon’s contract with Shakhtar expires on December 31, 2023, and the 23-year-old was set to return to Ukraine in the summer following his loan spell at Fulham.
However, FIFA determined on Monday that any international players living in Ukraine or Russia can extend their contracts for another year, which Solomon wants to do. Once his contract is suspended, his relationship with the Ukrainian team will expire at the end of the year, allowing him to sign with a new club for no price.
FIFA first made the temporary ruling in March 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This was extended in June last year for a further 12 months, and has now been extended again. Shakhtar said on Wednesday that this decision means the club “stands to lose up to €80million in possible transfer fees”, a decision that “threaten(ed) our very existence”.
“In order to protect foreign players and coaches who have left the territory of Ukraine or Russia due to the conflict and do not wish to currently return in light of the circumstances, those players and coaches will have the right to unilaterally suspend their employment contracts with clubs affiliated to the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) or the Football Union of Russia (FUR) until 30 June 2024, provided that the clubs are duly infringing,” FIFA said in a statement.
FIFA first made the temporary ruling in March 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This was extended in June last year for a further 12 months, and has now been extended again. Shakhtar said on Wednesday that this decision means the club “stands to lose up to €80million in possible transfer fees”, a decision that “threaten(ed) our very existence”.
“In order to protect foreign players and coaches who have left the territory of Ukraine or Russia due to the conflict and who do not wish to currently return in light of the circumstances, those players and coaches will have the right to unilaterally suspend their employment contracts with clubs affiliated to the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) or the Football Union of Russia (FUR) until 30 June 2024, provided that the clubs are duly infringing,” FIFA said in a statement.
Last summer, Fulham came close to signing Solomon on a permanent basis. According to Shakhtar chief executive Sergei Palkin, the club was close to settling a €7.5 million ($7.6 million, £6.4 million) cost for his move, but because FIFA’s judgement was extended last year, the permanent agreement was not finished and Fulham instead signed Solomon on a one-year ‘free loan’ instead. Shakhtar attempted to sue FIFA for monetary damages in the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but were unsuccessful.
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