Column by Serhiy Tyshchenko. The new Gypsy

The only Dynamo U-19 player who went to the training camp with the first team was 17-year-old Kyrylo Pashko. Some players are not up to par, while Vyacheslav Surkis, Taras Mykhavko and Matviy Ponomarenko went to the youth Euro.

Paradoxically, Pashko was not a main player at the youth team level. Last season, he played only 14 matches and scored one goal. This goal is special because it was scored against the main rival, Shakhtar. In the first round of the home match, Pashko opened the scoring by closing out a flank shot.

Kyrylo missed the start of last season due to injury. Then he started playing, but was more of a rotation player. Andrii Matkevych's injury helped him with his playing time. In the spring, he played very little. Only 89 minutes against Kolos. In three matches, he came on as a substitute for a very short time. Against Dnipro-1, when everything was already decided, I played 17 minutes. Against Zorya and Veres - 9 and 4 minutes, respectively. Therefore, he played more for the second team of Dynamo U-19.

The first-team coaching staff evaluates not only the leading players, the leaders of the youth team, but watches all the players. Moreover, they look at them from their own angle.

Not much is known about Pashko. Once upon a time, Dynamo boss Ihor Surkis called him "the new Tsygankov." He said that there was another redhead in the team's system who could surpass Viktor in terms of potential. Pashko not only has a similar hair color to Tsygankov, but also plays the same position - right midfielder.

Kyrylo is a native of Kharkiv. He started his career at Metalist. Since 2019, he has been in the Dynamo system. After the war started, he ended up in Spain. There was interest from various clubs, but Dynamo managed to get their talent back. According to rumors, Pashko received a serious increase in salary.

He spent the 2022/23 season on loan to Zorya's youth team. There were almost 20 Dynamo players, coaches, and staff there. "Zorya got a youth team, and Dynamo got experience for young players. Therefore, Pashko has already spent two seasons at the U-19 level.

During the winter training camp in 2023, the then-team coach Mircea Lucescu included Pashko and a number of other 2006 players in the first team (although they were formally with Zorya). It was clear that Kyrylo was not yet ready for adult football - neither physically nor psychologically. It was just an introduction to young players and their potential, not a real chance to play in the first team.

In the first part of last season, I was not very convincing. Over the winter, I got physically stronger, manned up, and became more robust. I am more ready for adult football. Physically, he is not yet fully formed.

From time to time there are rumors about the interest of Italian and Spanish clubs in Pashko. It is impossible to check them. In order to really have interest, we need an international showcase. The national team of Ukraine born in 2006 easily passed the first qualification for the Euro in late 2022, and in early 2023 failed the elite round. Kyrylo was not selected for the 2005 national team. European scouts determine the level of a player by international matches. That's why I don't believe in anything substantive. Pashko's contract is until the summer of 2025. Draw your own conclusions.

What are Kyrylo's prospects in adult football? Pashko plays as a right midfielder. In fact, Dynamo has only Andriy Yarmolenko in this position. There was also Benito, but he is no longer in the team. If necessary, Nazar Voloshyn can play here. I don't know if Maksym Bragara is currently in the first team and in what position. Judging by the fact that he was sent to the Olympics, he may be on loan.

Everyone understands that Yarmolenko will not be able to play 90 minutes in every match due to his age. Rotation, European Cups require a number of players. Therefore, if Pashko proves himself at the training camp, he can really catch on with the first team right now. If not, he will prove his ambitions in the U-19 and UEFA Youth League with the prospect of going back to the first team training camp in the winter.

Serhii Tyshchenko