The 19-year-old winger has moved to the Southern League club after being released by Championship side Watford in May, having spent the previous three years developing in the English academy system.
Kristian began his youth career at Chelsea before moving to Tottenham in 2022. He spent about a year with Spurs and then joined Watford, where he played for the Under-18s and Under-21s.
He signed his first professional contract with the Hornets in 2025 but never made a senior appearance for the club. He also represented Ukraine at the Under-20 World Cup in 2025.
Sholing confirmed the move by welcoming Kristian to the Boatmen and highlighting his experience with Chelsea, Tottenham and Watford, as well as his international involvement with Ukraine.
The move is another step for a player who has grown up under the shadow of one of Ukraine’s most famous footballers.
Andriy Shevchenko won the Ballon d’Or in 2004 and enjoyed the most decorated periods of his career with Dynamo Kyiv and AC Milan. He scored 175 goals in 322 appearances for Milan and also played for Chelsea between 2006 and 2009.
The former striker won Serie A, the Coppa Italia and the Champions League during his time with Milan, while his Chelsea spell brought an FA Cup and League Cup to his honours list.
Kristian will now begin the next stage of his career away from the Premier League academy system, with Sholing preparing for an FA Cup third-round qualifying tie against Ebbsfleet.
The teenager’s immediate challenge will be to establish himself at senior level and turn his academy and youth international experience into regular first-team football.
His move also gives Sholing a player with experience of several established academy environments, while the club can offer Kristian the senior football that was unavailable to him at Watford.
Kristian’s international background adds another strand to his development. He played for Ukraine’s Under-20 side at the 2025 World Cup, giving him experience of tournament football before stepping into the non-league game.
For now, the focus will be on adapting to the demands of senior football and making an impression with Sholing as he looks to build a career of his own.