Ukrainian U-19 star Alan on the radar of European clubs

Mahmoud Ads, Staff Reporter

Getting noticed for his wonderful defensive skills, the Ukrainian U-19 team skipper and Belarusian Premier League star Alan Aussi is on the radar of a number of European clubs especially Spanish.

Alan, who is looking for new challenges, currently on loan at Torpedo Zhodino in the Belarusian Premier League has done well enough to generate suitors to take him away from the country on a permanent deal.

“There are lots of clubs from Spain and Italy who have all expressed their interest, but for now, I’m here so I have to ensure I do all my best for the club then after we see what happens,” he continued.

Alan, whose contract with Torpedo Zhodino ends next year, was offered a chance to play for Barcelona when he was 14 but was not released by Shakhtar Donetsk.

Torpedo Zhodino are currently sitting in fourth spot with 50 points in the Belarusian Premier League. They defeated Dynama Brest in their last outing and Alan was lauded for his performance.

The Ukrainian considers Paolo Maldini, a former Italian footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest ever defenders, as his role model and dreams to achieve the same feat one day in his career.

Alan, a product of the Shakhtar Donetsk Youth Sportive School, is such a huge admirer of Maldini that prior to every match he makes sure to watch video clips of the Italian star. And later tries to copy Maldini moves on the field.

“I have always been a big fan of Maldini. He dedicated his life to AC Milan. He is a football legend, and it has always been a great pleasure for me to watch his old clips ahead of the match, which gives me motivation,” he said.

Alan, whose father is Syrian and mother Ukrainian, was born in Donetsk in the year 2001.

He started playing at the age of six and later got proper training after applying for Shakhtar Donetsk Youth Sportive School. Alan was among the 100 who had applied and only two were finally selected. He was one of them. From the age of six to 16, Alan continued training at the Shakhtar Donetsk Youth Sportive School. During those ten years, he proved his mettle by winning many titles. He was named the best junior player in Ukraine three times.

By the age of 17 Alan established himself as a star in the making as during the European Championship, in which national teams of 12 European countries participated, he was chosen as the best player of the tournament. His team also went on to win the final under his leadership.

Aspiring to win titles with the Ukraine’s national team, Alan was also offered to play for the Syrian team as his father was a Syrian national, but he was restricted by the Ukrainian national team.

In 2017, Alan visited Dubai and got a chance to train at Spanish Soccer Schools which is run by former Real Madrid full-back Michel Salgado.

Salgado, who is the director of Spanish Soccer Schools, which is based in Dubai Sports City, was highly impressed by the skills of Alan.

On being asked if he received any offer from the UAE football league, Alan, who has Syrian roots, said “It depends on the offer. I would play for them if offered a deal from the top clubs of the UAE.”

The Torpedo Zhodino defender also received an offer from the Chinese Super League in February but later with the spread of coronavirus pandemic nothing could be materialised.

His father, Dr Hozan Aussi, was also a soccer player who used to play for the Syrian youth team. Dr Hozan, who currently runs a business in the UAE, left Syria after high school and studied dentistry after moving to the Ukraine in 1992. There, he continued his studies, and got married to a Ukrainian. He received a doctorate in paediatric dentistry and became dean of the Faculty of Medicine for seven years. Dr Hozan always dreamt of having a son who would become a soccer player and achieve what he could not in the world of football.

He supported and motivated Alan to play soccer from a young age and later got him enrolled at the Shakhtar Donetsk Youth Sportive School.

“It was my dream to see my son play football and achieve what I couldn’t due to some reasons.”