Dynamo Kyiv Signs 21-Year-Old Goalkeeper from Ternopil

Illia Olkhovyi Joins Dynamo Kyiv

According to Главком: Ukrainian goalkeeper Illia Olkhovyi has moved from Nyva Ternopil to Dynamo Kyiv. The length of his contract and financial terms have not been disclosed. Born on May 30, 2003, in Ternopil, Olkhovyi began his football journey at a local youth sports school before relocating to Lviv. There, he completed his training at the academy of the local club and played for Lviv's youth team.

Olkhovyi made his debut in the Ukrainian Premier League (UPL) on May 25, 2023, during a match between FC Lviv and Chornomorets, which ended 0-1. In the 2022/2023 season, he appeared in three UPL matches for FC Lviv. After that season, he signed with Zakarpattia-based FC Minaj, where he played an additional two UPL games. During the 2023/2024 season, he participated in 32 matches at the club level, keeping clean sheets in 11 of them. Transfermarkt values him at €150,000.

Dynamo's Preseason Squad

Head coach Ihor Kostyuk has called up 36 players for Dynamo's preseason preparations. On June 12, part of the squad underwent medical examinations, with the first post-break training session scheduled for June 13 at the club's base in Koncha-Zaspa.

Dynamo's preseason roster is as follows:

• Goalkeepers: Ruslan Neshcheret, Vyacheslav Surkis, Denys Ihnatenko, Borys Manko.
• Defenders: Kostiantyn Vivcharenko, Vladyslav Dubinchak, Denys Popov, Kristian Bilovar, Taras Mykhavko, Oleksandr Tymchyk, Vladyslav Zakharchenko, Maksym Korobov, Navin Malysh, Denys Dykyi.
• Midfielders: Volodymyr Brazhko, Nazar Voloshyn, Mykola Shaparenko, Vladyslav Kabayev, Vitaliy Buyalskyi, Andriy Yarmolenko, Oleksandr Pikhalyonok, Mykola Mykhaylenko, Oleksandr Yatsyk, Kyrylo Osypenko, Bohdan Redushko, Roman Salenko, Oleksiy Husiev, Shola Ogundana, Valentyn Rubchynskyi, Aliou Tiaré, Justin Lonwijk, Ángel Torres.
• Forwards: Matviy Ponomarenko, Vladyslav Herich, Eduardo Guerrero, Vladyslav Blenutsie.

With this move, Illia Olkhovyi becomes part of Dynamo Kyiv, marking his transition from youth football to the professional stage.

This transfer highlights the trend among UPL clubs to seek out young talent to bolster their squads. Given his youth and the professional experience he has already gained, Olkhovyi could become a key asset for Dynamo in the future. Dynamo Kyiv, traditionally one of the dominant forces in Ukrainian football, continues to focus on squad renewal and strengthening its position both domestically and internationally.

As Dynamo Kyiv strengthens its squad with young talent like Illia Olkhovyi, it's interesting to see how other clubs in the Ukrainian Premier League are also making strategic moves. For instance, a notable extension has been made by Werder Bremen involving the son of a UPL club president, highlighting the interconnected nature of football transfers and familial ties in the sport.