Shakhtar Donetsk manager Mircea Lucescu has claimed that he would not stand in the way of his top players moving away from the club, according to Sky Sports.
Since the transfer window has reopened in January, Chelsea have been linked with one of Shakhtar’s standout stars of the season, Alex Teixeira.
The Brazilian is highly rated in Europe, and his manager has insisted he would leave the club with his blessing. Speaking about Teixeira, Lucescu said:
If there is an offer that will satisfy both player and the club I will fully support his move. I want to see my players perform in the best, top teams in Europe.
Despite seemingly giving his attacking midfielder the green light to go, the Shakhtar boss went on to say that “no official proposals” have been made for the Brazilian.
Teixeira has had a fantastic season so far, scoring 22 league goals in 15 appearances for his club, before the mid-season winter break. He has also scored three goals in the Champions League group stages, but couldn’t help his team progress into the knockout phase, as Shakhtar finished third behind Real Madrid and PSG.
It’s unsurprising that Shakhtar appear willing to sell another of their top players this year, as such is the club’s philosophy. Lucescu comments:
We signed players, who were 17-19, and brought them to the level of the top clubs. I wonder how many coaches in Europe are working based on such a scheme?
The likes of Douglas Costa, Fernando and Luiz Adriano all left the club last season, and Chelsea themselves also have previous dealings with the Ukranian club, after signing Willian from them in 2013. He has since gone on to become the star player for the Blues this season.
Although Teixeira has not made a senior appearance for his national side, the 26-year-old Brazilian is highly regarded as one of the best midfielders in Europe, and Chelsea are expected to make an official bid before the transfer window closes later this month.
