---
title: "Scandal around Bondarenko at Al-Ahli: transfer from Shakhtar at risk of collapse"
description: "Ukrainian midfielder Artem Bondarenko is at risk of early release from Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli amid a financial scandal surrounding his loan from Donetsk's Shakhtar."
date: 2026-09-04T07:44:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/bondarenko-al-ahli-transfer-scandal
tags: [artem-bondarenko, al-ahli, shakhtar, saudi-pro-league, transfer-scandal, ukrainian-football]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Scandal around Bondarenko at Al-Ahli: transfer from Shakhtar at risk of collapse

![Footballer Bondarenko in the white and green Al-Ahli kit with number 10 applauds the stands amid the scandal over his transfer from Shakhtar](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/04/bondarenko-al-ahli-transfer-skandal/bondarenko-al-ahli-transfer-skandal-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Bondarenko was loaned by Al-Ahli from Shakhtar on 21 August 2026 until 30 June 2027.
- The scandal intensified after the dismissal of sporting director Rui Pedro Braz.
- Insider Tavolieri points to a discrepancy in the salary: 1.3 million euros versus the offered 2.5 million euros.
- The club is considering early termination of the loan or exclusion from the Saudi Arabian championship squad.
- There is no official confirmation linking the transfer to Braz's dismissal.

Ukrainian midfielder Artem Bondarenko, who recently left Donetsk's Shakhtar and moved to Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli, has found himself at the center of a major financial scandal that could lead to his early release from the team. On 21 August 2026, the Saudi club signed the 26-year-old midfielder on loan from Shakhtar until 30 June 2027, but just two weeks after the start of the new championship, the situation around the player escalated sharply. In that time, Bondarenko managed to play just two matches for Al-Ahli and did not register any goal or assist, which, against the backdrop of the unfolding scandal, only intensified the pressure on the club and the player himself.

### Transfer and loan terms

According to the officially executed documents, Bondarenko joined Al-Ahli on 21 August 2026 on a loan deal until 30 June 2027. The key and most contentious element of the deal was the clause relating to the possible purchase of the player. Initially, media reports stated that the agreement merely provided an option — the right to buy the footballer. However, on the official website of the Saudi club, by contrast, it was stated that the contract contained an obligation for a mandatory purchase. It was precisely this discrepancy in the interpretation of the terms that formed the basis of the subsequent disputes and suspicions of financial misconduct.

### Dismissal of the sporting director and questions over the salary

The boiling point of the situation was the dismissal of Al-Ahli's sporting director Rui Pedro Braz. According to Belgian insider Fabrizio-style source Sacha Tavolieri, during the negotiations Bondarenko's representatives were expecting an annual salary of around 1.3 million euros. At the same time, the then-serving sporting director offered the Ukrainian a significantly higher salary — around 2.5 million euros per year. Journalists linked this decision to possible financial misconduct by the former official, although no official confirmation has been received that it was precisely Bondarenko's transfer that caused Pedro Braz's dismissal.

### Contradictory data

Open sources and statements from the parties record significant discrepancies. First, there is the nature of the purchase clause: some reports refer only to an option (the right to buy), whereas Al-Ahli's official website claims a mandatory purchase. Second, two different figures for the salary are cited — 1.3 million euros (the position that, according to the insider, the player's side was expecting) and 2.5 million euros (the offer allegedly made by the dismissed sporting director). Third, the link between Bondarenko's transfer and Pedro Braz's resignation is speculative: journalists connect these events, but the club has not provided official confirmation of this causal link. Both versions are presented here without favoring either, since neither side has provided exhaustive public explanations.

### Possible developments

Saudi journalist Khalid az-Zahran reported that serious discussions are underway within Al-Ahli over Bondarenko's future. Among the options being considered are the early termination of the loan or the exclusion of the Ukrainian from the Saudi Arabian championship squad; the club's legal department has already been brought in for consultations. Later, Tavolieri elaborated on the information, stating that Bondarenko would be included only in Al-Ahli's squad for the Asian Champions League. According to his data, the Saudi club is already looking for a way to get rid of the Ukrainian midfielder as quickly as possible and sign another footballer in his place, having several potential replacement candidates in mind.

### Context: Shakhtar's position

For Donetsk's Shakhtar, the outcome of this story has direct financial implications: in the event of the deal falling through or the loan being terminated early, the club risks losing a considerable sum of money built into the transaction. Against this backdrop, it was previously reported that Shakhtar surprised with its Champions League squad, which further highlights the question of how the Donetsk club is shaping its personnel policy against the backdrop of its homegrown player's transfer to Saudi Arabia. The outcome of the dispute between the parties will, most likely, depend on the decision of Al-Ahli's legal department and the final interpretation of the purchase clause in the contract.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Scandal with Bondarenko at Al-Ahli: transfer from Shakhtar at the center of an investigation](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/football/skandal-iz-bondarenkom-al-ahli-transfer-shahtarya-1788507581.html) - Первичный источник: дата аренды 21.08.2026, срок до 30.06.2027, два матча без результативных действий, увольнение Браза, версии по окладу 1,3 и 2,5 млн евро, варианты досрочного прекращения аренды.
- [Sensational transfer: Ukrainian national team player bought for 19 million euros](https://www.obozrevatel.com/sport-oboz/sensatsionnyij-transfer-futbolist-sbornoj-ukrainyi-pokupayut-za-19-millionov-evro.htm) - Подтверждено по источнику obozrevatel.com
- ["We will not accept this transfer." Al-Ahli fans protest against the possible move of the Ukrainian ...](https://www.ua-football.com/ukrainian/high/1787042684-yetot-transfer-my-ne-primem-fanaty-al-ahli-vystupayut-protiv-vozmozhnogo-perehoda-ukrainca-shahtera.html) - Контекст о финансовых рисках «Шахтера» в случае срыва сделки; согласуется с основной линией материала.
- [Bondarenko's transfer to the Saudi club may fall through – Shakhtar risks losing a considerable sum of money](https://www.ua-football.com/ukrainian/high/1787037835-transfer-bondarenko-v-saudovskiy-klub-mozhet-sorvatsya-shahter-riskuet-poteryat-nemalye-dengi.html) - Контекст о финансовых рисках «Шахтера» в случае срыва сделки; согласуется с основной линией материала.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: When and on what terms did Bondarenko move to Al-Ahli?
**A:** On 21 August 2026, on loan from Donetsk's Shakhtar until 30 June 2027.

### Q: What is happening with the purchase clause in the contract?
**A:** The versions differ: some reports refer only to an option (the right to buy), whereas Al-Ahli's official website claims a mandatory purchase.

### Q: Is the dismissal of sporting director Braz linked to Bondarenko's transfer?
**A:** Journalists connect these events and point to a possible financial scandal, but there is no official confirmation of this causal link.

### Q: What options is Al-Ahli considering regarding Bondarenko?
**A:** Early termination of the loan or exclusion from the Saudi Arabian championship squad; according to the insider, the player will be included only in the squad for the Asian Champions League.