Zorya Luhansk midfielder Maksym Khlan has spoken about the reasons for the conflict with his club's management. Last April, the 20-year-old was transferred to the U-19 team for refusing to sign a new contract with Zorya.
Maxim Khlan- Since October last year, you have been playing in Zorya's first team, but since March you have not even been included in the Luhansk club's application for UPL matches, what is the reason?
- It happened after a personal meeting with the club's president. My contract with Zorya was set to run until the end of this year and I was offered to sign a new contract for 5 years. I said that I didn't mind extending my contract with the club, but for a shorter period. I was told that I would not play until I signed a 5-year contract with the club. And so it happened.
- Why did you refuse a 5-year contract?
- I signed a contract with Zorya in January 2021. Agent Vadym Shabliy took part in that transfer. Not as my agent, but on behalf of Zorya. He promised me that I would have regular playing practice in the first team, which is why the club bought me from Karpaty.
He assured me that in a year Zorya would sell me to Europe, made other promises, financial ones, which I will not disclose. But none of this happened. And then again, I was given the same promises and a 5-year contract.
Of course, I refused such a long contract... The point is not that I want to go to Europe, as Shabliy said in an interview. The fact is that the club and its representative were not consistent in their actions before. That's why I wasn't ready to tie myself to Zorya for 5 years.
- Why did the suspension begin after the match against Dynamo, in which you passed the winning goal to Guerrero?
- It was after this match that I met with the president of Zorya.
- During this "suspension", were you allowed to train with the first team? How did you maintain your game tone in general?
- For the first two weeks I trained individually. We started the warm-up with the team, and when the training started, I was sent to run laps until the end of the training. When journalists drew attention to this, I was transferred to the U-19.
I repeatedly wrote to the club's management to resolve this situation and confirmed my readiness to extend my contract until the end of the next season and beyond, if I was not pressured and had the opportunity to play in the team. But the club did not make any mutual concessions, ignored my appeals and continued to exert pressure.
I was separated from the team, kicked out of the dining room when there was a baseball game, and from the medical centre. In short, by such actions, I was deliberately humiliated and pressured to extend my contract for 5 years. I also sent a letter to the president about this, but he did not respond.
- Did you get playing practice in other tournaments? A youth team or maybe some amateur clubs?
- I didn't have any playing practice in any of the club's teams. I wasn't even called up for U-19 matches.
- As for your salary, did Zorya fulfil its financial obligations to you?
- Yes, Zorya paid me as usual. But they didn't pay me a bonus for Dynamo, although they paid all the other players. I addressed the club with a written statement about this, but my appeal, as usual, was ignored. I did not receive a bonus for Dynamo.
- There was different information about your termination of the contract with Zorya, whether you did or didn't. Can you explain this?
- Yes, I sent the club an application to terminate the contract on 8 June. It was official. My lawyer recommended that I hold talks with Zorya to enable the club to resolve the conflict in a civilised manner. So that the club has the right to receive compensation for my training, because, whatever the case, I respect Zorya, where I was for two and a half years.
I instructed my lawyer to negotiate. He made them an appropriate offer. Now it's up to the club. If they are willing to settle the disputed issues, I am ready for a certain compromise. If not, then there will be a lawsuit about the club paying compensation for the violation of my rights, and the club will lose the right to compensation for training.
Also, if I may, since I was not given this opportunity, I would like to express my gratitude to the entire Zorya coaching staff. Under the leadership of Patrick van Leeuwen, I really felt my development, a new understanding of the game, physical and professional progress. But, unfortunately, the club's management did not give me the opportunity to progress further at this club.
- What are your plans for the future? Do you have any specific proposals?
- After the information about the termination of my contract appeared, I received a lot of calls from clubs and agents. I'm on a break for now. I want to rest mentally and physically, and then we will consider options.
- So are you waiting for offers from abroad?
- To be honest, for now I want to play fully in Ukraine and prove myself as much as possible. If there are offers from foreign clubs, of course, I will consider them.
Andrii Shevchenko
