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Shakhtar Donetsk is one of the professional clubs belonging to the Ukrainian Premier League. The club, which was founded in 1936, has enjoyed a fruitful journey so far, becoming one of the best in the country.
They are also the only club alongside Dynamo Kyiv from Ukraine to have won a major European competition.
Shakhtar Donetsk are a frequent visitor in the Champions League
The club have been a dominant force in their respective league and are regular participants in the Champions League. Along with success, the club have also produced some world-class players.
These players have been their revenue makers as top clubs have spent millions to land them. On that note, let us take a look at five of the most expensive sales made by Shakhtar Donetsk:
#5 Douglas Costa - €30 million
The Brazilian winger is one of the fastest players to have graced the game. Making his debut for Gremio, Costa joined Shakhtar Donetsk in 2010. The spell there could be termed his most successful as he went on to win 11 trophies in six years.
Bayern Munich were attracted by his talent and signed him for €30 million in 2015, making him the then fourth most expensive signing at the German club. The 31-year-old winger enjoyed a successful spell under Pep Guardiola.
However, a year later Carlo Ancelotti was appointed, who preferred veteran Franck Ribery over him. Since then he has had an unsettling career moving from one place to another. After joining Juventus in 2018, he spent a year with Bayern, and is currently on loan at Gremio.
#4 Willian - €35 million
Another Brazilian who made a big money move from Shakhtar Donetsk was Willian. The 33-year-old winger was one of the lucky few at the club who lifted their only European trophy, the UEFA Cup (now known as the Europa League) in 2009.
After six prosperous years, he joined Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala, who spent €35 million for him in 2013. Surprisingly, he only lasted there for three months. The club had to undergo a financial restructuring, because of which they transferred their whole squad, including their most expensive purchase.
Thankfully, he had a terrific career ahead of him as Premier League giants Chelsea signed him during the 2013-14 transfer window. His trophy-laden spell at Stamford Bridge was the only successful one besides his time at Shakhtar Donetsk.
#3 Fernandinho - €40 million
Shakhtar Donetsk have produced many Brazilian talents and Fernandinho ranks third in the list of their most expensive departures. The 36-year-old defensive midfielder started his professional journey with Atletico Paranaense in Brazil.
Three seasons later, he moved to Ukraine when Shakhtar Donetsk signed him in 2005. Fernandinho went on to play eight seasons with them and collected many trophies alongside his countrymen, Willian and Douglas Costa.
Manchester City considered him as an excellent acquisition and spent €40 million to land him from Shakhtar Donetsk. He kicked off his journey in England with a league title and an EFL Cup in his first season. Fernandinho has been a consistent performer for Manchester City since joining the Premier League champions in 2013.
#2 Alex Teixeira - €50 million
Alex Teixeira got a taste of professional football at Vasco da Gama before making his move to Shakhtar Donetsk in 2010. He has also played alongside the other players on this list during his time with the Ukrainian side.
Teixeira was a prominent part of the squad and contributed profoundly during the club's successful period. However, his most outstanding performance came during his final season, where he scored 26 goals, registering an average of one goal per game.
In 2016, he made his move to the Chinese Super League after Liverpool's bid failed to please Shakhtar Donetsk. Jiangsu Suning's offer of €50 million was accepted by the Ukrainian side.
Five years later, he became a free agent as the club could not renew his contract due to financial problems. The 31-year-old midfielder joined Besiktas in August 2021 on a three-year deal.
#1 Fred - €59 million
Fred became Shakhtar Donetsk's most expensive sale when Premier League giants Manchester United splashed €59 million for him in 2018. The 28-year-old midfielder made his senior career debut for Brazilian club, Internacional, before joining Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013.
In his five-year spell there, Fred made 155 appearances and won 10 trophies. He was signed by Jose Mourinho at United, but became a crucial part of the team after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer became the manager.
Thanks to the trust put in by the Norwegian, Fred eventually became a regular for Brazil as well. He has earned 12 caps this year, more than the overall appearances he has ever made for his country.
