Transfer rumour · archive

Artem Bondarenko to Al Ahli

Quiet since 19 August 2026. Last report: Fabrizio Romano. Probability when it went quiet: 13%.

Al Ahli are working through the paperwork stage with Shakhtar Donetsk over a move for midfielder Artem Bondarenko, with documents already being exchanged between the two clubs. The fee under discussion sits at €18m fixed, plus €1m in add-ons, and the push from the Al Ahli side is said to be driven by coach Marino Pusic, who wants the deal done. Bondarenko is 26 and under contract at Shakhtar until the end of 2028, so any transfer would need Shakhtar's board to sign off on losing a player with over two years still on his terms. The story was first flagged by Gianluigi Longari, who reported Bondarenko was closing in on signing for Al Ahli. That was then followed up by Fabrizio Romano, who gave the more detailed figures on the fee and add-ons and described paperwork already changing hands. Romano's track record makes this a genuine step up in reliability, and having two credible voices point the same way within 48 hours gives the reporting real weight rather than a single flimsy tip. Despite the specific numbers being reported, this one is rated a long shot for now. Documents moving between clubs is a meaningful signal, but paperwork exchange does not equal an agreed transfer, and deals at this stage still collapse over medical results, personal terms, or a late change of heart from the player or either club's hierarchy. For it to complete, Shakhtar need to accept the €18m plus add-ons structure and Bondarenko needs to agree personal terms with Al Ahli, neither of which is confirmed yet. Watch for confirmation that personal terms have been settled, or word of a medical being s

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