Will clubs make use of Ukraine
Contracts ruling?
The Old Firm and the rest of Scotland’s clubs have the chance to sign a “wild card” heading into the home straight of the season.
In a move to help footballers caught up in the war in Ukraine, FIFA in co- ordination with UEFA has suspended the contracts of all foreign players with Ukrainian clubs until the end of June.
It means that for the next four months they will be able to play for clubs elsewhere as free agents.
Ukrainian nationals are not affected because all men between the ages of 18 to 60 are banned from leaving the country under martial law following the Russian invasion.
Representatives of the world players’ union F I F P RO lobbied for the move, arguing that otherwise they would earn nothing.
They also argued it would help safeguard the interests of their clubs.
Among the stars now available is Manor Solomon, Israel international team-mate of Celtic pair Nir Bitton and Liel Abada.
The 22-year-old winger is very highly ra t e d w i t h Sh a k h t a r Donetsk having rejected a £ 17 million offer for his services from Arsenal last summer.
He is currently back in his homeland having fled Ukraine capital Kyiv when the shelling began. Driven to the Polish border by a Ukrainian friend of a friend, he had to wait for 10 hours there among thousands of others before being allowed through.
Prior to the news of the contract suspensions, Israeli sources spoke of his future being uncertain but of a number of big clubs monitoring his situation.
While Donetsk also have a team- load of Brazilian stars including international winger David Neres, of more interest – to Rangers in particular – might be Brayan Riascos, a Colombian countryman of Alfredo Morelos.
The 27-year-old forward is with Metalist Kharkiv who also have Kadeem Harris, a London-born winger, on their books.
Harris has quit the country, as has former St Johnstone player Viv SolomonOtabor, previously of Birmingham, Blackpool and Wig an Athletic, who only signed for FC Rukh Lviv in January following a brief spell at Mcdiarmid Park.
Others of note include Poland international TomaszKedzio ra of Dynamo Kyiv, subject of high- profile support from Aston Villa’s Matty Cash at the start of the invasion.
Jorge Hernandez, a 21- year- old American countryman of Rangers midfielder James Sands and formerly of LA Galaxy II, also qualifies having signed for Chornomorets Odesa at the end of the January window.
Clubs can only sign two players at most under the criteria and must have them registered by April 7.