With rumors linking him to other prominent European clubs, Burkina Faso national team striker Lassina Traoré was the first foreign player in the Shakhtar Donetsk squad to report for pre-season training as the Ukrainian titans prepare for their return to action in the Netherlands. Traoré suffered a devastating knee injury in late September of 2021, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament during UEFA Champions League action.
The 21-year-old is fully recovered from his injury after nine months out of action but it remains to be seen if he will be moving clubs due to the war in Ukraine, which put a premature end to the 2021-22 Ukrainian Premier League season last December. There are plans for the 2022-23 season to proceed despite the ongoing war with no supporters in the stadiums and shelters provided if air raid sirens go off during the matches. The season is set to kick off on August 23 but it remains to be seen if the plans come to fruition.
