The Gas Ukraine group of companies has reached an agreement on the acquisition of FC Metalist Kharkiv from businessman Oleksandr Yaroslavsky.

"The company will support the team in the crucial stage of its development and act as the football club's investor," reads a statement posted on the club's official Web site.

"Sharing Oleksandr Yaroslavsky's concern for the fate of the team, our company has agreed to act as an investor in the club and ensure it stable funding. This will help save the team and continue its development. It's a great honor for us to support FC Metalist, and we will make every effort to continue the glorious traditions of one of the oldest teams in Ukrainian football," Gas Ukraine said.

On December 23, media reports said that Yaroslavsky had agreed to sell Metalist to Serhiy Kurchenko, a 27-year-old businessman and lawyer from Kharkiv, whom journalists associate with Gas Ukraine.

On December 24, 2012, Yaroslavsky said that he had resigned as president of FC Metalist Kharkiv and transferred the commitments on its financing to another investor.