Shakhtar get Chygrynskiy back
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
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FC Shakhtar Donetsk have pulled off "a mega-transfer" by luring Dmytro Chygrynskiy back to the club from FC Barcelona, paying €10m less than they received when he left a year ago.
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Defender Dmytro Chygrynskiy has returned to FC Shakhtar Donetsk for a €15m fee after spending just one season in Spain with Liga champions FC Barcelona.
The 23-year-old Ukrainian international moved to Barcelona last summer in a €25m deal, but made only 12 league appearances in the first term of his five-year contract and now rejoins the Pitmen. "This is a mega-transfer," said Shakhtar chairman Rinat Akhmetov. "I didn't want to sell Dmytro to Barcelona last year, not even for €25m. Our fans didn't expect him to come back, though, so this is a real surprise. I am sure Chygrynskiy will strengthen us."
A product of the FC Karpaty Lviv academy, the centre-back first arrived in Donetsk as a 16-year-old and scored seven goals in 82 league appearances for Shakhtar, winning two championships, two Ukrainian Cups and the 2008/09 UEFA Cup. The Ukrainian titleholders start their 2009/10 European campaign in the UEFA Champions League group stage.