Transfer Centre

Shakhtar Donetsk threaten to sue Tottenham Hotspur if they sign Manor Solomon

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 08 June 2023

Shakhtar threaten to sue Tottenham if they sign Solomon

Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei Palkin threatens to sue Tottenham Hotspur if they try to sign Manor Solomon on a free transfer this summer.

Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei Palkin has warned Tottenham Hotspur that they could be taken to the court should they try to sign Manor Solomon this summer.

The 23-year-old was one of several players who benefitted from a rule allowing Ukraine-based athletes to temporarily suspend their contracts last year following the Russian invasion.

Solomon subsequently penned a one-year loan deal with Fulham, where he scored five goals in 24 games after a delayed inauguration due to knee surgery.

The Israel international failed to become a regular starter for Marco Silva but memorably found the net in three consecutive games off the bench against Nottingham Forest, Brighton & Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers, before extending his scoring streak to four matches in a subsequent loss to Brentford.

Solomon's temporary deal at Craven Cottage did not include an option or obligation to make his stay permanent, though, and he is therefore poised to return to Shakhtar for pre-season.

Fulham's Manor Solomon scores against Brighton & Hove Albion on February 18, 2023 © Reuters

The Ukrainian giants still have the attacker under contract until December, but FIFA recently announced that the ruling allowing players to suspend their deals would be extended into the 2023-24 season.

Furthermore, Solomon would not need Shakhtar's permission to halt his contract again, meaning that the Miners are at risk of losing the Israeli winger for nothing in six months' time.

While Fulham are thought to be keen to sign Solomon permanently, Tottenham have supposedly also registered an interest in a free transfer, which has not gone down well with those upstairs at Shakhtar.

The club's chief executive Palkin has promised to sue players and clubs for "unjust enrichment" if they try to take advantage of FIFA's ruling, and he also revealed that Solomon is not keen on a return to Ukraine and most likely wants to stay in the Premier League.

"I contacted Solomon and his agent and invited him back to our club. I said: 'you can play all the games in Champions League, you will be in the starting eleven' but he doesn't want to move and I believe he will stay in England," Palkin told ESPN, as quoted by the Evening Standard.

Manor Solomon celebrates scoring for Fulham against Brentford on March 6, 2023 © Reuters

"Where he will go? I don't know. In any case, if you go to Tottenham, we will deal with Tottenham in court in this case. Everything comes to a simple situation: it sounds like unjust enrichment.

"Can you imagine, we pay big money for this player and finally Tottenham receives him for free? It is not fair in respect of our club. We will definitely go to court and we will fight for ourselves.

"I would like to send a message to those clubs who are trying to sign our players without paying a transfer fee: Shakhtar will file claims for unjust enrichment against players or clubs who have enriched themselves and benefitted by obtaining a financial advantage."

Solomon has registered 22 goals and nine assists from 106 appearances in a Shakhtar jersey since joining in a €6m (£5.2m) deal from Maccabi Petah Tikva in January 2019, and he has four titles to his name from his time with the Miners, including two league triumphs.

Tottenham could be in the market for attacking acquisitions following the exits of Lucas Moura and Villarreal Arnaut Danjuma, as new manager Ange Postecoglou seeks to steer the Lilywhites back into European competition at the first time of asking next season.