23-year-old Ukrainian goalkeeper Illia Olkhovyi has signed a contract with FC Dynamo (Kyiv).
Olkhovyi was born on May 30, 2003, in Ternopil. He took his first steps in football at the local Youth Sports School. Later, he moved to Lviv, graduated from the Academy of the local club of the same name, after which he played for Lviv’s youth team.
He made his UPL debut on May 25, 2023, in the match FC Lviv – Chornomorets (0:1). After the end of the 2022/2023 season, in which he played three matches in the top division, Illia signed a contract with Zakarpattia-based Minai, for whom he played two UPL matches.
In the spring of 2024, he signed an agreement with Ternopil’s Nyva. Over the course of two seasons, he was the team’s first-choice goalkeeper, playing around fifty matches in the First League and the Ukrainian Cup.
On the eve of the team’s departure for the training camp Dynamo’s newcomer answered questions from the club’s official website.
– Illia, congratulations on joining our team! How do you perceive this new challenge in your career?
– I was invited by a giant of Ukrainian football, the most titled club in Ukraine. Probably, as for most children who chose the football path, playing for Dynamo was my dream. Now I need to make every effort to prove myself in the team in the best possible way.
– Did you consult with anyone regarding this transfer?
– With Nyva’s director, Roman Mykhailiv. You could say he gave his blessing for the move, wished me success and progress in my career.
– How were you welcomed by the team?
– I know Taras Mykhavko and Matvii Ponomarenko well, and I have already had the chance to talk with Volodymyr Brazhko. The atmosphere in the team is exceptionally friendly, which adds to the positive mood. However, I already feel a natural sense of excitement: from the First League, I have joined one of the leaders of the top division. This is a chance to show myself and learn a lot. So, interesting work lies ahead!
