Shakhtar footballer flees to Russia: new details of the scandal

Shakhtar youth team midfielder Oleksandr Rosputko did not return to Ukraine after the UEFA Youth League match against Antwerp.

As Sport.ua learned from its own sources, Rosputko together with the team checked in and handed in his luggage for the flight to Warsaw, and then disappeared at the airport, switching off his phone. The team decided that the player became ill and started looking for him at the airport, but the search did not lead to anything.

There are two versions of why the Shakhtar U-19 player decided to run away from the team.

Version 1: Oleksandr Rosputko comes from temporarily occupied Horlivka. He has pro-Russian views and against this background he had conflicts with his team-mates. It is believed that Rosputko travelled to Russia via Istanbul. He was helped to plan and organise his escape from Ukraine.

Version 2. Disagreements with the new contract. The player could not agree with the club on a new contract. The previous agreement was valid until the end of the season, and Rosputko thought that he was not paid extra. According to our information, the player received 1-2 thousand euros per month.

Interestingly, after his return from Belgium, Rosputko seemed to have to sign a new contract with the club. If he had refused, he would most likely not have had game practice in Oleksiy Belik's team.

Shakhtar have not yet commented on the situation with the player's escape.