Vladyslav Krapivtsov, a 19-year-old Ukrainian goalkeeper, has been training on trial with Girona after a failed move to Arsenal and Chelsea, reportedly due to bureaucratic reasons related to Brexit.
The young player, previously of SC Dnipro-1, is currently without a club and was seen by surprise at Girona’s training session as he tries to secure his professional future.
Krapivtsov’s situation highlights the impact of Brexit on player transfers.
Before the United Kingdom left the European Union, signing an international prospect from Ukraine would have been straightforward for a club like Arsenal.
However, post-Brexit changes have complicated transfers involving young talents from outside the UK and the EU. The new restrictions mean that 18 to 21-year-olds from non-EU countries face greater challenges in meeting the work permit criteria.
For players like Krapivtsov, the criteria depend on a points-based system that weighs various factors, such as international caps, playing time, and the competitive level of both the player’s current and prospective leagues.
Given Krapivtsov’s youth career and limited exposure to senior-level competition, the requirements proved too difficult to meet.
Krapivtsov, who most recently played for SC Dnipro-1’s U19 side, has not had sufficient opportunities at the senior international level to meet the UK’s stringent work permit rules, which became tougher after Brexit.
His Ukrainian citizenship directly blocked his moves to both Arsenal and Chelsea, leaving him in a challenging situation where, despite his talent and international experience at the U21 level for Ukraine, he found himself without a club after the summer transfer window closed.
Krapivtsov’s presence at Girona’s training session was unexpected, but it represents an opportunity for the young goalkeeper to restart his career after the disappointment of missing out on moves to the Premier League. Girona, currently 10th in La Liga, offer a platform that could bring much-needed stability for the player, who now has to impress Michel and Girona’s sporting staff to earn a contract.
Krapivtsov’s case serves as a reminder of the unintended, but pre-warned consequences Brexit has had on English football, especially for clubs like Arsenal, which have a tradition of scouting and nurturing young talents from across the globe.
The tightened regulations now mean that promising players from countries outside the EU, even those with international youth experience, must navigate a far more restrictive system to secure a move to the UK.
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