Dulub surprised by Hutsulyak's move to the Kazakhstan league

The recent transfer of Ukraine national team winger Oleksii Hutsulyak to Kazakhstan's Ordabasy has sparked discussion among football experts. Oleh Dulub, who previously worked with the player at Karpaty Lviv, shared his thoughts on this unexpected career turn.

The specialist admitted that the move came as a surprise given the earlier expectations surrounding the player's future. "For me, it was an absolute surprise. His agent publicly stated about options in top-5 leagues, and suddenly — such a twist," Dulub noted, while acknowledging Ordabasy's status as a strong, championship-winning club.

According to Dulub, the decisive factor behind the transfer was likely the financial offer. The coach suggested that monetary terms outweighed the sporting prospects, as reaching the main stage of European competitions from the Kazakhstan league remains a formidable challenge.

"I think the financial issue tipped the scales," the specialist concluded.

Hutsulyak had been without a club since the summer after spells with Karpaty, Desna, Dnipro-1, and Polissia. The 28-year-old winger has earned 16 caps for the Ukraine national team, scoring six goals.