---
title: "Salary scandal: why Shakhtar rejected the transfer of Maksym Taloverov"
description: "High-profile negotiation failure: Shakhtar rejected the transfer of Maksym Taloverov due to an inflated salary. The player requested 1.5 million euros, which is more than captain Matviyenko earns. President Akhmetov personally cancelled the deal, calling the demands unacceptable. ⚽💸🚫"
date: 2026-07-10T12:02:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/salary-scandal-why-shakhtar-rejected-the-transfer-of-maksym-taloverov
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Salary scandal: why Shakhtar rejected the transfer of Maksym Taloverov

![Maxim Taloverov with suitcase — symbol of failed Shakhtar transfer due to salary dispute](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/10/skandal-s-zarplatoy-pochemu-shakhter-otkazalsya-ot-transfera-taloverova/skandal-s-zarplatoy-pochemu-shakhter-otkazalsya-ot-transfera-taloverova-1.webp)

The football world is once again discussing a high-profile negotiation failure. Donetsk Shakhtar, which has long been looking to strengthen its defensive line, attempted to bring back defender Maksym Taloverov from English club Stoke City and the Ukrainian national team. However, despite serious interest and the club's readiness to make a deal, negotiations ended in complete failure due to the player's financial ambitions.

### The offer that was supposed to work

According to authoritative insider Igor Burbas, the "miners" initially set their sights on a serious acquisition. The club offered the 25-year-old defender a long-term five-year contract. The terms looked very attractive: a competitive salary and a generous bonus system tied to sporting achievements. The management of the Donetsk giant expected that such a package would interest the player, who played 20 matches in the Championship last season and has experience playing at Euro 2024.

### Shocking request: 1.5 million euros

However, the response from Taloverov's side came as a complete surprise to Shakhtar's management. The player's agency put forward conditions that shocked the club's representatives. Maksym requested a base salary of 1.5 million euros per season. Moreover, this amount did not include additional bonuses and mandatory signing-on fees for the transfer itself.

To understand the scale of the situation, these figures should be compared with the club's current salary policy. According to the insider, captain and long-time defensive leader Mykola Matviyenko earns in the range of 1 to 1.2 million euros. Thus, Taloverov's request exceeded the salary of the key defensive leader and effectively corresponded to the level of top Brazilian legionnaires who are the elite of the team.

### The president's decision: "Forget about him"

The situation developed rapidly. Initially, the candidacy of the Stoke City defender was fully coordinated and sanctioned personally by Shakhtar president Rinat Akhmetov. The club was ready to pay about 3-4 million euros for the transfer, which is significantly higher than the player's market valuation of 2 million according to the Transfermarkt portal.

However, as soon as the unaffordable financial demands of the agents became known, the club owner's position changed radically. Upon learning of Taloverov's desire to earn 1.5 million euros, Akhmetov immediately called off the negotiations.

"When Akhmetov was told that Taloverov wants 1.5 million euros, he said: 'Forget about him'", confirmed Igor Burbas.

### The story of the return did not work out

This transfer could have been a historic return. Maksym Taloverov began his path in the Shakhtar academy structure, where he was trained until the age of 15. He currently has a valid contract with the English club until the summer of 2028 and is an active player for the Ukrainian national team, where he has played 8 matches. Despite the emotional attachment to his native club and Shakhtar's willingness to pay for the transfer, the player's inflated salary expectations put an end to the deal.