Shakhtar sign 'one for the future'
Monday, 14 February 2005
FC Shakhtar Donetsk have agreed the signing of Brazilian Under-20
international Fernandinho.

Summer arrival
Fernandinho will join the Ukrainian Premier League leaders in the summer for
a fee thought to be 8m, but is expected in Donetsk on 22 February to undergo
a medical and sign a five-year contract with the club.

Unfinished business
The 19-year-old midfield player will then return to Brazil to continue
playing for Atlético Paranaense in the Copa Libertadores, South America's
equivalent to the UEFA Champions League. Fernandinho will become Shakhtar's
fourth Brazilian recruit of 2005, linking up with compatriots Jadson
Rodriguez, Ivan Saraiva and Elano Blumer.

Transfer policy
Coach Mircea Lucescu said: "We are watching the Brazilian league carefully.
Our club president [Rinat Akhmetov] has taken note of the transfer policies
of clubs like FC Barcelona and AC Milan. As a result, we have taken the best
players in last season's Brazilian championship, who all have great futures
in the game."

Stoican absence
One piece of bad news for Lucescu, however, is that defender Flavius Stoican
will miss the first leg of Shakhtar's UEFA Cup last-32 tie at home to FC
Schalke 04 on 16 February. The Romanian has a heel injury but should return
for the second leg.

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