21-year-old defender Irakli Azarov moves to Shakhtar from Serbian Crvena Zvezda (Red Star). The contract with the player lasts until June 30, 2028, according to official statement of Football Club Shakhtar Donetsk, a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Donetsk.
Azarov started playing football in the Dinamo Tbilisi Academy. He made his debut for the first team at the age of 17 and made 14 apps (3 assists). In January 2021, Irakli moved to Dinamo Batumi where he immediately became a regular player and made 65 apps in a year and a half (4 goals, 10 assists). Azarov played for Belgrade-based Crvena Zvezda from the 2022/23 season (26 apps, 3 assists). The Champion of Georgia (2019, 2020, 2021), the Champion of Serbia (2023).
Since 2017, he has been regularly called up to the junior and youth national teams of his country where he played 38 games. Irakli participated in the 2023 UEFA European U21 Championship together with Georgia U21. On June 2, 2021, he made his debut for the Georgia national team in a friendly match against Romania and has played 12 matches in the main team so far.
Serbia's Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) bought the player from Dinamo Batumi for 200,000 euros a year ago. The player's transfer value increased after his performances for the Georgian national team. Transfermarkt estimates him at €1.5 million.
