Illia Kutia Scout Report: Hajduk’s Young Ukrainian Midfielder

Poljud’s youth pipeline keeps sending names up to the first team, and Illia Kutia is one of the youngest Ukrainian links in that chain. Since arriving at Hajduk’s youth setup in the summer of 2022, Kutia has followed a quiet but consistent upward path: through the age groups first, then into a regular starting role for Hajduk’s Prva NL Juniori side in 2025-26. That he was simultaneously involved with two separate Ukraine youth national-team age groups in the same season underlines that his profile is being tracked beyond club level too. Signing his first professional deal and being included in an HNL matchday squad for the first time, both in May 2026, mark a genuine turning point in his development. This report looks honestly at where that development currently stands, without overstating a still very small first-team sample.

Profile and Biography

Career and Transfer History

Kutia has never made a professional club transfer; his 2022 move to Hajduk was a youth-level switch and no transfer fee was ever reported publicly. That places him alongside other recent Hajduk academy graduates — Marino Skelin, Ron Raçi, Šimun Hrgović — as a classic “home-grown” case, with the difference that he is Ukrainian rather than Croatian and represents a different federation at youth level.

Image: original GegenSports design (representative schema). This is not a real photograph or an official performance chart; it was produced by GegenSports based on the player’s profile. Source data: Soccerway, Sofascore, UEFA.com, Worldfootball, HNL.hr — compiled as of September 2026.

2025-26 and 2026-27 Season Statistics

As expected for an 18-year-old midfielder in his first professional season, most of Kutia’s recorded output still sits at youth and national-team level; his first-team sample remains in the single digits at the time of writing. That is not itself a red flag — it is the expected picture for a player who has only just signed his first professional deal and been added to an HNL matchday squad. The table below summarises the current evidence base with position-appropriate metrics (appearances, goals/assists, level); raw minutes and advanced metrics (xG, progressive passes, etc.) cannot be reported reliably given how limited the senior sample is.

Sources: Soccerway, UEFA.com, Worldfootball, Index.hr, official HNL.hr squad pages (as of September 2026). Minor discrepancies between platforms are common at youth level; this report prioritises figures corroborated by more than one source.

Playing Style Analysis

Kutia’s first-team sample is too small to paint a firm technical portrait. What follows is a careful inference built from the role the club has given him (central midfielder, with a right-back trial in winter), his regular starting run at junior level (19 appearances), and Hajduk’s broader tactical identity.

The club deploying him as a box-to-box midfielder — a player expected to cover ground in both defensive and attacking thirds — suggests stamina and two-way running are among his standout traits at this stage. That the same player was also trialled at right-back during winter training points to the coaching staff assessing him for positional versatility rather than locking him into one role early; this can be read both as an opportunity (more paths into the matchday squad) and as a mild red flag (no settled area of specialisation yet).

A core skill scouts look for in central midfielders is press resistance — the ability to receive and retain the ball under close opposition pressure without losing it, then progress play forward. With barely any senior minutes logged, Kutia’s real level in this area has not been reliably tested on the pitch; his regular starting role at junior level and his call-ups to two separate national youth age groups are, at best, indirect signals that his technical foundation is at an acceptable standard for his age.

A box-to-box midfielder’s attacking value is typically measured through use of the half-space — the vertical corridor between the touchline and the centre that defences find hardest to cover — and underlap runs, where a central player supports a winger by driving forward through the inside channel while the winger holds the width. Kutia’s specific tendencies in these movements cannot be documented concretely in this report given the current lack of tracked footage/data; this is an area that should become clearer with a larger first-team sample.

On the defensive side, a midfielder’s transition behaviour — the choice between immediate counter-press and structured recovery in the 3-5 seconds after losing the ball — is a key tactical indicator. Hajduk’s broader footballing identity favours possession and gives young players early responsibility, which suggests any player coming through that environment is exposed to a certain tactical discipline before ever leaving the club. Being exposed to a principle and applying it consistently at first-team level are two different things, however, and the gap between the two remains untested for Kutia.

Strengths

1. Age and development window: At 18, he offers a long development horizon for both the club and any future suitor.
2. Positional versatility: Being trialled at right-back alongside his primary central-midfield role suggests the coaching staff already see squad value beyond a single position.
3. Consistent junior output: 19 appearances at Prva NL Juniori level in 2025-26 is a concrete sign he has reached an appropriate physical and tactical standard for that level.
4. Dual-tier national team interest: Featuring for both Ukraine U17 and U19 in the same season indicates the federation is actively tracking him.
5. Club backing: Signing a first professional contract running to 2028 signals the club sees him as a medium-term investment rather than a short-term trial.

Weaknesses

1. Almost no first-team sample: A single recorded HNL appearance as of this report means any technical or tactical claim remains largely speculative.
2. Physical step-up unproven: The jump from junior to first-team level is one of the biggest risk areas for any young player, and Kutia’s has not yet been meaningfully tested.
3. Unsettled position: Being assessed at both central midfield and right-back could point to a lack of clear specialisation in the short term.
4. Public data scarcity: Even basic physical details such as height and preferred foot are not yet published in reliable sources, a transparency gap that complicates scouting.

GegenSports Scout Rating

This rating is produced under GegenSports’ own scouting methodology and does not reflect any third-party rating system. The 51/100 overall score describes a player whose “first-team evidence base is almost non-existent, but whose age, junior-level consistency and dual-tier international interest justify a spot on the watchlist.” The notably higher potential score (71) reflects that Kutia is 18 and has not yet had his senior-level ceiling tested — the modest overall score reflects a thin evidence base, not a weak player.

Similar Players

For profile comparison only, without claiming a precise equivalence, three reference players:

• Heorhiy Sudakov (Shakhtar Donetsk / Ukraine senior national team) — a Ukrainian academy graduate who progressed to the senior national team and onto Europe’s radar; a theoretical “ceiling scenario” for Kutia’s development path, though his career level is currently far ahead.
• Adam Huram (Hajduk Split, Ukraine) — a fellow Ukrainian midfielder promoted to Hajduk’s first-team fold shortly before Kutia; their parallel development illustrates the club’s interest in young Ukrainian talent and the internal competition it creates.
• Petar Sučić (Inter, Croatia; ex-Dinamo Zagreb academy) — an example of a Balkan academy midfielder making a major leap to a top European club; not a direct style comparison, but a useful reference for the “regional academy to big move” pathway.

Süper Lig Fit

Kutia’s profile is not, at this stage, a direct squad solution for the Süper Lig; his near-zero first-team sample makes any short-term transfer scenario unrealistic. His age, his consistent junior-level output and interest from two national youth age groups do, however, sketch a profile that could be evaluated at academy/reserve-team level or as a long-term development project. For Süper Lig clubs that invest in youth and can run a patient development programme, he is, at this point, an “early contact” candidate.

Suitable Turkish Clubs

• Kasımpaşa: Known for giving young foreign players early first-team minutes.
• Gaziantep FK: An organisation experienced in development-focused signings and integrating young players.
• Çaykur Rizespor: A club with a tradition of gradually handing responsibility to young midfielders.
• Upper-table TFF First League sides such as Sakaryaspor or Boluspor: A realistic alternative offering regular game time for a player seeking a gradual route toward the Süper Lig.

Ideal Teammates

For a young midfielder with such a tiny first-team sample, the most critical factor for his development is the experienced midfield partner alongside him. A deep-lying pivot who demands the ball early and dictates tempo would let Kutia make his box-to-box runs from a more secure platform. Similarly, a back line that offers safe passing options in build-up and a winger who looks for early depth would make both his defensive and attacking contributions more visible.

Adaptation Score

For adaptation to a new league/club environment: 6/10. Although Kutia has been at Hajduk since 2022, he is already a player who has changed countries once before — moving from Ukraine to Croatia at a young age and adapting to a new footballing culture, language and league gives him some relevant experience should a second international move follow. On the other hand, having played almost no first-team football, how his physical and mental adaptation capacity will hold up in top-level competitive environments remains a considerable unknown.

Cost and Value-for-Money Scenarios

• Low scenario (€100-300K, estimated): A development-transfer format for a young player; the most realistic band given the near-absence of a first-team sample — with no market-value record on file, this band is entirely GegenSports’ comparative estimate.
• Mid scenario (€400-800K, estimated): Plausible should Kutia accumulate regular HNL minutes in 2026-27 and/or progress to Ukraine’s U21 level.
• High scenario (€1M+, estimated): Possible if catalysts such as senior national-team proximity or consistent European-competition performances materialise; purely speculative at this stage.

On the wage side, the typical range for a Hajduk player of this age and experience level is not shared in public sources; in any transfer scenario, a contract structure built around a low base salary plus performance clauses would be a plausible approach.

Development Potential

Kutia’s development ceiling depends largely on whether he can accumulate first-team minutes over the next 12-18 months. For an 18-year-old with a consistent junior-level run, interest from two national youth age groups, and a club that has just backed him with his first professional contract, the theoretical ceiling is high — but reaching it requires a regular, sustained block of HNL minutes. A realistic short-term target is establishing himself as a rotation/squad player at Hajduk; the medium-term target is progressing to Ukraine’s U21 level and becoming a regular name within the HNL.

The pathway followed by other recent Hajduk academy graduates — Marino Skelin, Ron Raçi, Šimun Hrgović — from junior football through first-team training and into gradual matchday inclusion, makes a similar trajectory plausible for Kutia. Should that play out, a profile that is both a regular HNL name and on the radar of clubs abroad by age 20-21 (around 2028-2029) is plausible; if it does not, a scenario in which he proves his quality at junior level but never completes the step up to first-team football should not be ruled out either.

Injury History and Fitness Reliability

No serious injury record for Kutia is documented in public sources. His 19-appearance run at junior level in 2025-26 is a positive continuity signal for his age group. That said, for a player who has carried almost no first-team load, how his physical resilience will respond to top-level competitive intensity remains an area to be observed.

Foreign-Player Quota and UK Work Permit Analysis

Under the Süper Lig’s foreign-player quota, Kutia would be treated as a standard “foreign” player; Ukraine not being an EU member does not create any distinction under Turkey’s quota rules, which operate on total foreign-player count rather than an EU/non-EU split.

On the UK side, the picture is clearly unfavourable today. The Football Association’s Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) points system relies heavily on two columns: senior national-team caps (weighted by the team’s FIFA ranking band) and club-level league/minutes data (weighted by the league’s GBE band). Kutia has no senior national-team caps to date — only U17 and U19 appearances, which the GBE system does not count. On the club side, his total HNL minutes (a single recorded appearance as of this report) sit well below the automatic-approval threshold. In short: a UK move is not practically possible under GBE with his current profile; that picture could meaningfully change only with senior national-team proximity and/or a substantially larger minutes volume in the HNL.

Suitable Leagues

• Croatian HNL (current league): The most natural environment for accumulating regular minutes; the top short-term priority.
• Ukrainian Premier League: A potential return to his home top flight, which could also benefit national-team visibility.
• Austrian Bundesliga: A reasonable intermediate step known for giving young Eastern European players regular opportunities.
• TFF First League / Süper Lig (Turkey): Suitable for a gradual-responsibility scenario at a development-focused club.
• Belgian Pro League: Another intermediate option known for a club culture open to trading and developing young players.

Sporting Director Summary

As of this report, Illia Kutia is not a “ready product” but an “early-stage watchlist file.” His consistency at junior level (19 appearances), interest from two national youth age groups, and the club’s vote of confidence in handing him a first professional contract are positive signals; but a near-zero first-team sample means any transfer decision should, for now, remain at the “monitoring” stage. Should he accumulate regular HNL minutes in 2026-27, interest both domestically and abroad is likely to grow. The sensible next step for a sporting director at this point is not a direct offer, but a sustained 12-month performance-tracking window, keeping a loan or development-partnership option on the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is Illia Kutia?
An 18-year-old Ukrainian central midfielder who has come through Hajduk Split’s academy since 2022.

2. What position does he play?
Primarily central midfield (box-to-box); also trialled at right-back during winter 2025-26 training.

3. When does his contract expire?
His first professional contract, signed in May 2026, runs to 30 June 2028.

4. What is his current market value?
No clear Transfermarkt figure is published as of this report, consistent with his very limited first-team sample.

5. When did his first-team career begin?
He was first named in an HNL matchday squad in May 2026, away at Lokomotiva Zagreb; Soccerway credits him with one SuperSport HNL appearance for 2025-26.

6. Does he have an injury history?
No serious injury record is documented in public sources.

7. Has he played for Ukraine?
Yes — 6 caps at U17 and 3 at U19; not yet called up to the senior national team.

8. Is he a fit for the Süper Lig?
Not as a short-term squad solution given his almost non-existent first-team sample; more of a long-term development/watchlist profile.

9. Which Turkish clubs suit him?
Kasımpaşa, Gaziantep FK and Çaykur Rizespor are among the reasoned candidates, alongside upper-table TFF First League sides.

10. Could he play in England?
Not under the current GBE points table — insufficient senior caps and club minutes leave him well below the automatic-approval threshold.

11. Who are his closest comparable players?
Heorhiy Sudakov, Hajduk teammate Adam Huram, and Petar Sučić stand out as career-path reference points.

12. What is his GegenSports scout rating?
51 out of 100 under GegenSports’ own methodology; the modest overall score reflects a thin evidence base, not a weak player.

13. What is his biggest weakness?
An almost non-existent first-team sample, meaning his physical and tactical adaptation to senior football is still unproven.

14. Why was he trialled at right-back?
Reportedly to test his positional versatility during winter 2025-26 training under Gonzalo García; his primary position remains central midfield.

15. How is his development potential assessed?
A high ceiling is projected given his age, junior-level consistency and dual-tier national interest, but reaching it requires regular first-team minutes going forward.

Related GegenSports Content

• Marino Skelin Scout Report — Hajduk Split
• Ron Raçi Scout Report — Hajduk Split
• Šimun Hrgović Scout Report — Hajduk Split
• Luka Hodak Scout Report — Hajduk Split
• Bruno Durdov Scout Report — Hajduk Split
• Rokas Pukštas Scout Report — Hajduk Split

Sources

• HNK Hajduk Split — official club squad page (hajduk.hr)
• SuperSport HNL — official league site (hnl.hr)
• Index.hr — report on Kutia’s first HNL matchday inclusion and contract signing
• UEFA.com — 2026-27 UEFA Conference League squad profile
• Soccerway, Worldfootball, Sofascore, BeSoccer — player profile and season statistics
• Wikipedia (EN) — 2026-27 HNK Hajduk Split season, squad numbers
• fmtransferupdate.com, ScoreBob, Flashscore — supplementary profile and contract data