---
title: "Relegation to the Segunda and new rules of the game: how Girona plans the future of Ukrainian legionnaires"
description: "Girona's relegation to the Segunda has changed the club's plans for Ukrainian legionnaires. Tsygankov may leave for free, while Vanat will be forced to play in the second division to increase his price. 🇺🇦⚽️📉"
date: 2026-07-17T16:38:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/girona-relegation-to-segunda-plans-for-ukrainian-legionnaires
tags: [girona, vladyslav-vanat, viktor-tsygankov, segunda-division, laliga]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Relegation to the Segunda and new rules of the game: how Girona plans the future of Ukrainian legionnaires

![Girona FC player in home kit on stadium background with Etihad Airways and Orgull Gironí logos — symbol of the club undergoing relegation to Segunda División and reevaluating its Ukrainian contingent](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/17/zhirona-vylet-v-segundu-plany-po-ukrainskim-legioneram/zhirona-vylet-v-segundu-plany-po-ukrainskim-legioneram-1.webp)

The football world has once again witnessed a dramatic turn of events in Spain. Girona, which became a sensation in recent seasons and secured a place in the Champions League, has faced a harsh reality: relegation from La Liga. This event has triggered a chain reaction of financial changes within the club, directly affecting the Ukrainian footballers playing for the Catalans.

### Financial reality: the 50% rule

Dropping out of the elite of Spanish football automatically activates strict economic mechanisms. According to the rules, after relegation, players' salaries must be cut by 50%. This situation creates tension in the locker room and forces team leaders, who are not ready for such a reduction in income, to look for options to continue their careers in other clubs.

### Viktor Tsygankov: the club's last chance

Among the Ukrainian legionnaires, Viktor Tsygankov is the closest to changing his club address. His contract with Girona expires in a year, putting the management in a difficult position. The club understands that this is the last chance to make money on the winger's transfer. If Girona fails to sell the player in the upcoming transfer window, in six months he will be able to legally leave for another club for free, which will be a serious financial loss for the Catalans.

### Plan B for Vladyslav Vanat

The situation with another Ukrainian forward, Vladyslav Vanat, is different. The Girona management has categorically blocked any talks about his transfer this summer. A year ago, the club paid 17 million euros for the player, who transferred from Kyiv's Dynamo. Now, they are asking a price of 30 million euros for the 24-year-old striker.

Obviously, no one will pay such money for a player performing in the second division (Segunda). However, the Catalans have developed a cunning strategy: Vanat must play a season in the Segunda and become the main force that returns the team to the elite. Upon returning to La Liga, the striker must deliver another powerful season to "catch up" to the coveted transfer value.

### Status of the other Ukrainians

Regarding Oleksandr Pischur and Vladyslav Kravtsov, the club's position is unambiguous — they are staying. Vanat's current agreement is calculated until June 30, 2030, which speaks to the club's long-term ambitions regarding this player, despite current difficulties. Transfermarkt values the Ukrainian national team forward at 15 million euros, which is significantly lower than Girona's internal expectations.

Thus, the drop in class has become for Girona not only a sporting but also a personnel test. While some players are preparing to leave, others, like Vanat, are forced to accept the challenge and prove their worth on the field of the second division for the sake of a future return to the elite.