Mladen Bartulovic finds himself at the center of a coaching tug-of-war as "Metalist 1925" is actively pursuing the Croatian specialist currently working with "Zorya", according to recent reports.
The negotiations between the Kharkiv club and Bartulovic have reportedly been productive. However, there's a significant complication - the coach has already agreed to contractual terms with "Oleksandriya" and has given his consent to join the silver medalists of the Ukrainian Premier League.
"The situation is delicate, but we believe in our project and what we can offer," a source close to the negotiations might explain.
Interestingly, if Bartulovic does choose "Metalist 1925", he won't be working alone. His coaching staff would include familiar faces who helped the Kharkiv collective return to the elite of Ukrainian football: Oleksandr Chizhov, Maksim Tsvirenko, and Andriy Polunin.
By the way, "Metalist 1925" has also finalized their decision regarding the women's team. Natalia Zinchenko will take over as the new head coach, adding another piece to the club's coaching puzzle.
Earlier reports indicated that "Polissya" had abandoned their attempts to sign a Ukrainian national team debutant. No connection to the Bartulovic situation, but it shows how busy the off-season maneuvering has become.
Will Bartulovic honor his agreement with "Oleksandriya" or be swayed by whatever "Metalist 1925" is offering? The next few days should be quite revealing.
