Donetsk's Shakhtar has officially confirmed the return of Patrick van Leeuwen to the club. The Dutch specialist, who previously managed the youth development direction of the 'Pitmen', will rejoin the team that has become an important part of his football biography. This is reported by Sport RBC.UA with reference to the official website of the Ukrainian champion. The club's CEO, Serhiy Palkin, was the first to announce the Dutchman's return on his Instagram page, where he welcomed the specialist into the Shakhtar 'family' and emphasized his talent for developing young players.
Contract details and entry into office
The press service of the Donetsk club specified the key parameters of the agreement: the contract with van Leeuwen is for three years, and he will assume his direct duties as the new head of the academy in November 2026. Thus, the appointment has already been documented, and the specialist will join the club's structure in the coming month. In his message, Palkin called the Dutchman 'an experienced professional with an invaluable talent for developing young players' and noted that he is returning 'with new experience and inspiration' to the club that has become part of his biography.
First experience: how van Leeuwen brought the academy to the European level
For the 57-year-old specialist, this is not his first stint working with the youth department of the 'Pitmen'. In 2006–2013, van Leeuwen held the positions of coordinator and director of the Donetsk club's academy. Over these years, according to the club's assessment, he brought the football school to a new European level and prepared a whole galaxy of famous players who later became prominent figures in Ukrainian and European football. It was this period that established the Dutchman's reputation as one of the strongest specialists in working with youth.
Career after Shakhtar: from Kazakhstan to the Ukrainian Premier League
After leaving the Donetsk club, van Leeuwen continued his work in various countries. He worked at Kazakhstan's Kairat and Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv, and also built a coaching career in Ukraine. Later, the Dutchman headed Luhansk's Zorya, managed Shakhtar's first team from July to October 2023, and then worked with Metalist 1925 and Kryvbas. Such a path — from academic coordinator to head coach of senior teams — explains why the club views his return as a reinforcement specifically in the field of personnel training.
What the return means for the club's football project
Van Leeuwen's appointment as head of the academy with a three-year contract indicates Shakhtar's long-term plans in developing its own school. As follows from the club's materials and the source's headline, the Dutchman's return is positioned as support for the current football course of the 'Pitmen'. The combination of previous experience in the academy with subsequent coaching practice in Ukraine and abroad makes van Leeuwen a figure capable of linking youth work with the requirements of the first team. The new head of the academy will assume his duties in November 2026.
