Akhmetov plans to strengthen Shakhtar with new players
President of Shakhtar Donetsk Rinat Akhmetov has congratulated all fans of the team on winning their fourth straight league title and promised to strengthen the team in the summer season.
"You know, I've been the owner and president of the club for 17 years, and there hasn't been a single easy championship in all that time. We wanted [to win] this championship very much, and we won it deservedly. But most of all I want to claim the next championship. So congratulations to all of our fans, because they were the best - we deserved this title. We have the highest attendance, it means that the team is loved, the team games are attended! The fans love the game of Shakhtar, their style," the club's press service quoted him as saying.
"I can say that in terms of staffing two figures won't change - the club's owner, that is me, and the head coach, Mircea Lucescu. All the rest will be used to strengthen the team. We will do everything to keep the key players and to make the acquisitions that today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow will delight us with a beautiful game and fine results," Akhmetov said.
"We don't know how we'll progress, because huge amounts of money have been invested in Metalist Kharkiv and Dnipro. Our league is growing, becoming more competitive. I think there was a great atmosphere in Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv. There was also a great atmosphere in Kyiv this year – 66,000-67,000 people. In Odesa... In principle, wherever Shakhtar goes, the fans attend the games. Of course, they support their team, but it's interesting for them to look at their team opposed by Shakhtar. So, I think our football is moving forward, and we deserved it," he said.