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Vitalii Mykolenko interview: His worry for parents in Ukraine, taking on Salah, adapting to Grealish

The left-back shares his daily concerns about family in his war-hit homeland, and why he was happy to sign a new contract

Published: Tuesday, 29 September 2026 at 4:16 AM
Vitalii Mykolenko interview: His worry for parents in Ukraine, taking on Salah, adapting to Grealish
Key Things to Know
  • Vitalii Mykolenko expressed continuous concern for his parents living near Kyiv amid the war in Ukraine.
  • The 27-year-old left-back signed a new three-year contract extension to remain at Everton.
  • Mykolenko recently welcomed his second child, Nina, with his wife Viktoriia.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Everton left-back Vitalii Mykolenko opened up about his ongoing worry for his parents living near Kyiv amid the war in Ukraine. Speaking from Everton's pre-season training camp, the 27-year-old discussed balancing his family life and his Premier League career following the birth of his second child and committing his future to the club with a three-year contract extension.

Mykolenko highlighted the importance of stability at Everton as the team started the season unbeaten through seven matches across all competitions. The defender also detailed his preparation and defensive mindset when facing top Premier League wingers such as Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Arsenal's Bukayo Saka in one-on-one matchups.

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