Word out of Ecuador is that Valencia CF (Spain) has made an offer to Rubin Kazan for the services of midfielder Christian Noboa.

Noboa has become a key to Rubin Kazan’s side, but his profile has increased dramatically over the last year as he has [...]]]>

As expected, Christian Noboa is starting to garner attention from Spain.

Word out of Ecuador is that Valencia CF (Spain) has made an offer to Rubin Kazan for the services of midfielder Christian Noboa.

Noboa has become a key to Rubin Kazan’s side, but his profile has increased dramatically over the last year as he has also become a regular for the Ecuadorian national team.

Becoming a true “box-to-box” force in midfield, Noboa would fit perfectly into a Valencia side that not only recently acquired former Rubin teammate Alejandro Domínguez but is also could use an option at the midfield level in front of the defensive midfield while young Argentine Éver Banega continues developing.

Having identified Noboa as a possible option, Valencia has tabled a S5 million U.S. offer to Rubin, an offer that was flatly refused.  Rubin is said to value their Ecuadorian at closer to $12 million.

That evaluation may also be low for a the 24-year-old who will become more vital to Rubin as Sergei Semak continues to age.  Thus, this report may be more rumor than reality.

It should not surprise, however, that a player that profiles like Noboa is getting attention from Spain, where has game would fit perfectly.  For Kazan, however, Noboa has become more critical, with his continued development as an attacking threat becoming more needed by Gurban Buriyew.

Though there would be more sentimental value attached to their other central midfielder, it would almost make more sense for Rubin to sell Semak.

Last week the news of a potential Cristian Ansaldi move ignited, with a €5 million price reported.  If you felt the low price hinted at the rumor being frivolous, know today that the all-Russian Premier League left-back has affirmed your instincts.

Reports in [...]]]>

The rumors surrounding Rubin left-back Cristian Ansaldi need a second grain of salt.

Last week the news of a potential Cristian Ansaldi move ignited, with a €5 million price reported.  If you felt the low price hinted at the rumor being frivolous, know today that the all-Russian Premier League left-back has affirmed your instincts.

Reports in numerous places (like this one) have Ansaldi going on record denying a link to Manchester City.  While there are other reports perpetuating the link, the player’s words have him loser to Kazan than Manchester.

Further diminishing the link, Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is playing down the connection.  Mancini is a man who sent a lot of time in Russia prior to his appointment in Manchester.  He also has a need for a left back, with Wayne Bridge and Sylvinho being his best options.  However, his interest is still tepid at best.

There are a number of reasons to be skeptical of these rumors.

As mentioned above, the price.  It’s too low.  A 23-year-old left back who is good both defensively and going forward is worth much more than €5 million.  Rubin knows this.

Second, England has restrictions on who can get work permits, and one of the most troublesome restrictions for internationals is national team appearances.  Ansaldi just got his first cap from Argentina but it is unclear how many he will get going forward.  He was not called in for Argentina’s more recent friendly.

Finally, Rubin is still alive in Europe and will be in Champions League next season.  While they could still sell Ansaldi, they won’t do it at a bargain rate.

The African Cup of Nations started Sunday in Angola. As most of you know I’m covering the event for a couple of other sites, giving me an opportunity to monitor a number of Russian League players.

Unfortunately, there is very little [...]]]>

Francisco Zuela played ninety minutes for Angola in the Cup of Nations' opening match.

The African Cup of Nations started Sunday in Angola. As most of you know I’m covering the event for a couple of other sites, giving me an opportunity to monitor a number of Russian League players.

Unfortunately, there is very little to report though there are seven players who play in Russia representing their nations at the African championship, very few have played.

The three players with the highest profiles are the Nigerians, none of whom got off the bench in today’s loss to Egypt. Lokomotiv Moskva’s Peter Odemwingie, CSKA Moskva’s Chidi Odiah, and Lokomotiv’s former loanee Sani Kaita all dressed but failed to see action. Odemwingie’s omission was particularly surprising.

FC Kuban forward Haminu Dramani did not have the opportunity to play, with Ghana’s Monday match against Togo cancelled. Had they played, it would have been unlikely that Dramani played, as he is well down the depth chart for Ghana.

Alania Vladikavkaz defender Ibrahim Gnanou played forty-five minutes for Burkina Faso, coming on a half for veteran Paul Koulibaly. Gnanou helped Burkina Faso maintain a surprising clean sheet against Cote d’Ivoire, giving the Burkinabé a chance of making the quarterfinals.

Two Russian League players have played a full ninety minutes.

In the tournament’s opening match, Kuban Krasnodar’s Francisco Zuela played ninety minute but was also part of a defense that looked lost attempting to stop the Malians from scoring four goals in the last sixteen minutes. The match ended 4-4.

The most successful Russian League players was FC KAMAZ’s Essau Kanyeda, who played for Malawi in their 3-0 win over Algeria. Although he was the only one of Malawi’s three forwards to go without a goal, he was a vital part of the site’s upset victory of the Desert Foxes.

Building on site savior Andrew Skomra’s note about FK Partizan forward, Saturn target Lamine Diarra, here are some factoids, observations, and judgments from my research.

Feel free to offer your own thoughts or corrections. One precautionary note: when I say something like “is not,” [...]]]>

FK Partizan's Lamine Diarra, a Saturn target (Photo: Wikipedia)

Building on site savior Andrew Skomra’s note about FK Partizan forward, Saturn target Lamine Diarra, here are some factoids, observations, and judgments from my research.

Feel free to offer your own thoughts or corrections. One precautionary note: when I say something like “is not,” it is more readily understood to mean “I have not, in my limited exposure, seen evidence that.”

Here we go:

• Diarra is having his way in the Serbian SuperLiga, which is a decent league, though I would call it “third tier” – a league from a good footballing nation that does not have the resources or structure to send consistently competitive teams into the two major European competitions. This is the tier of league below leagues like ones in Greece and Austria, leagues that a almost pure feeder leagues (with commensurate talent).
• Diarra plays as what could be called a number nine: a central, line-pushing forward. He can play a pseudo supporting-role in a two-striker set-up in a more competitive league, but I have my doubts if he can be a real number ten.
• As a number nine, he lacks physical size or strength. He’s 5′9″ and isn’t that strong.
• Diarra has a very good left foot which he can use with both power and touch, making him a very adept finisher around goal who may not need much room to finish.
• At 26 years old, he is probably the finished product.
• He is Senegalese and was a non-factor in his national team’s set-up, making one appearance for a side that did not make it to the final round of African qualifying (and therefore will not be at the African Cup of Nations).
• He exhibits very good attacking instincts off the ball, reading the back line very well in finding space. With an Alex-esque creator in midfield, he could be very dangerous.
• He uses his speed to his advantage in the Serbie SuperLiga though he’s not extremely fast.
• Has good control with the ball at his feet, but his lack of physicality combined with his lack of foot speed limit will limit his ability to take on superior defenders.
• From what I’ve read (as Andrew mentioned) Trabzonspor seems a slightly more likely destination, as they seem interested and will outspend Saturn.

Anybody else have something different to offer or corrections? Let us know, in the comments.

The decade nears its final breath. But RFN pays no attention, nonchalantly plugging away at the spletnik task (real analysis to follow!). Moves continue to be made whilst most RFN players lounge upon beaches around the world. Aside [...]]]>

The Moskva suburbs could be getting a little more exciting: FK Partizan's Lamine Diarra wanted by Saturn

The decade nears its final breath. But RFN pays no attention, nonchalantly plugging away at the spletnik task (real analysis to follow!). Moves continue to be made whilst most RFN players lounge upon beaches around the world. Aside from Spalletti’s monopolization of the Italian rumor mill and another juicy development in the project otherwise known as finding out Cristian Ansaldi’s next club, we take a deep breath and delve further down the table to see how some less-covered squads are trying to ring in the New Year. From Saturn to Sibir we’ve got updates.

Partizan partitioning

• We’ve briefly touched on the financial struggles currently facing FK Partizan (Serbia) in relation to the Russian salivation over young phenom Adem Ljajić.

But Blic has reported that the situation at Partizana is more dire than first believed. In fact the impending budget cuts appear so drastic that the Black-Whites are willing to part with the current Serbian Superliga’s leader in goals, Lamine Diarra. The 26-year-old Senegalese striker has scored 9 goals this season in 14 matches with the Belgrade club. When you combine that total with the 19 tallied last year with the club (or the 40 since joining Partizan in 2007) it is clear why the club has received some phone calls.

FK Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast, according to Soviet Sport, is one of the interested parties. Diarra would certainly be a boost to the Alien attack; Gordeev’s men managed 38 goals in 2009, an improvement over their dismal offense of 2008 but still only good enough to return them to a mid-table position.

Saturn do have competition: Trabzonspor (Turkey) officials have also made inquires about the striker.

Move over Peixoto, Jorge has a new idea.

Cristian Ansaldi could be an Eagle.

• Rubin Kazan defender Cristian Ansaldi has become a staple of transfer gossip throughout Europe in the last few months.

We have read of English and Spanish affection for sure. But as we edge closer to January the interest in Ansaldi steadfastly grows. Today, according to ItalSportPress.it, it appears Benfica (Portugal) are considering a bid to become the fullback’s employer. The 23-year-old Argentine has fallen onto the Lisbon side’s short list of potential recruits this winter, viewing him as one piece of the puzzle as they currently seek their first championship in 5 years.

As Águias are said to have an expense account nearing €18 million to spend during the upcoming transfer window and have already used a little less than half that amount in a Brazilian splurge aimed at giving coverage to both their attack and midfield. Earlier this month it was announced that Benfica had acquired young striker Alan Kardec from Vasco da Gama (Brazil) for €2.5 million. Then, more recently, 19-year-old Flamengo midfielder Airton was signed for a reported €3 million. And just today it was announced that the Portuguese club have brought Eder Luis—previously linked with Lokomotiv Moskva–over from Atletico Mineiro to the tune of €2 million.

Thus with over €10 million to play with, Benfica must surely be considered a strong contender for Ansaldi’s services. Money aside, he seems a nice fit for the attack-minded squad that Jorge Jesus has assembled this year for the Eagles.

Ansaldi, then, patiently waits at home in Rosario, opening yet another gift-box full of headbands. Hopefully the family has had the foresight to have bought some red ones.

Randomly name an Italian striker and chances are Spalletti dreams of him.

• Zenit St. Petersburg’s winter plans continue to be the focus of a large swath of the Italian football press.

Requited Roman? Mirko Vučinić on Zenit's expanding list

The newest potential additions to have graced the pages of La Gazzetta dello Sport are Roma’s Mirko Vučinić, Juventus’ Vincenzo Iaquinta, and A.C. ChievoVerona’s Sergio Pellissier.

Vučinić, if available, seems a perfectly reasonable pick-up for Zenit. In addition to his center-forward abilities, the 26-year-old Montenegrin can play a supporting role and even move out wide to the left. The St. Petersburg club appears to have concerns over who will cover their left flank and, of course, while playing for Spalletti in Rome Vučinić was deployed there to great effect.

Despite his agent Andrea D’Amico patently denying a switch in the winter, Iaquinta’s name continues to be tossed around. Manchester City, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich have already made inquiries into the services of the veteran—but Zenit appears comfortable enough to throw itself into the rumor mix.

Pellissier, an iconic member of Mussi Volanti, earned his first cap for Italy earlier this year after a stretch of fine performances last season. The 30-year-old, however, has been somewhat inconsistent this year, managing 4 goals thus far in Serie A play.

Georgy finds a new home. What about Sergei?

• It is no secret, FK Tom Tomsk’s defense last year left a bit to be desired. With that in mind, looking to continue to improve their squad, the club today announced via their website that defender Georgy Dzhioev will be joining the club at the open of the new year.
  

  Newly acquired Tom Tomsk-ian Georgy Dzhioev showing off his Henry-like skills

The 23-year-old was a reliable central defender with FK Kuban Krasnodar in 2009 and even helped out at the other end–twice using his large 6 ft 3 ½ in. frame to find the net.

Tom Tomsk coach Valeri Nepomniachi’s high regard for the defender was evident in his comments today: “Georgy Dzhioev is young, but at the same time he is an experienced footballer and plays at the highest level. We have been following him for some time and had planned to invite him to our club even earlier during the summer transfer window, but for some reason it could not be managed.”

In addition to the Dzhioev deal, the Tomsk mentor expressed his wish to acquire an attacker in the near future. While Nepomniachi had previously left open the possibility of signing the unattached South Korean striker Shin Young-Rok, today reports have circulated that suggest that former Tomsk forward Sergei Kornilenko could make a return.

Recall that Zenit announced at the end of the season that they did not intend to have the Belarusian return to Petrovsky Stadium, as the striker failed to make an impact since joining the club in the summer.

According to Sport Express, it is very likely that Kornilenko will recall the rosier times he had while with the Siberian club—where he scored 6 goals in 13 appearances in 2008 and the early part of 2009—and opt to return to try his luck once again.

The other Shevchenko.

• Terek Grozny striker Igor Shevchenko has signed on with Premier League newbies FK Sibir Novosibirsk. After playing in 9 matches with the Chechen squad earlier this year the 24-year-old was sent on a loan expedition to Kuban Krasnodar. After 10 matches he mustered 1 goal.

Both his loan assignment and his contract with Terek expired at the end of November, leaving Shevchenko available as a free agent.

A physical is scheduled in early January, after which it is assumed Shevchenko will join the Siberian club’s training camp in Turkey.

Petrescu showing off his pull, at least in Romania.

• Despite relegation, there is already a buzz surrounding FK Kuban Krasnodar. Certainly a result of announcing the hire of new manager Dan Petrescu, the club hopes to ride the wave of attention and land a few new recruits.

To be expected, the first acquisition is a Romanian international. 26-year-old Dinamo Bucureşti midfielder Ianis Zicu is reported to be set to sign with Kuban. According to Prosport, Zicu should be finalizing a contract in the coming days.

It was less than a fortnight ago that Zicu’s name had been linked with Terek Grozny, as well as the Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia. In the end it appears that Petrescu’s confidence in the midfielder was decisive.

• Another Krasnodar club, this time FK Krasnodar, announced on their website that they have signed 23-year-old attacking midfielder Andrei Pazin to a two-year deal.

Pazin, after playing with Lokomotiv Moskva’s reserves, had spent the past two seasons with NoSta Novotroitsk in the First Division, scoring 10 goals in 66 appearances.

Another wave of South American stories washes over RFN. Aleksandr Kerzhakov refuses to relinquish tabloid space, having his name comfortably nestled in print while his body relaxes on an undisclosed beach. FK Khimki will not fade into oblivion, announcing their new hire and new-found camaraderie [...]]]>

Vasco da Gama's Vilson will wear the red and white

Another wave of South American stories washes over RFN. Aleksandr Kerzhakov refuses to relinquish tabloid space, having his name comfortably nestled in print while his body relaxes on an undisclosed beach. FK Khimki will not fade into oblivion, announcing their new hire and new-found camaraderie with Dinamo. And, finally, some whispers emanate from central and eastern Europe to round out our Monday in review.

• Karpin’s Brazilian spoils.

Spartak Moskva head honcho Valery Karpin has returned from his South American escapades. In addition to a lovely tan, Karpin has brought back word of a purchase for his club. The People’s team has signed a contract with Brazilian defender Vilson (birth name Vilson Xavier De Menezes Junior), who had a strong showing last season with Vasco da Gama, while on loan from Madureira. Vasco, in 38 matches, conceded an impressively miniscule 29 goals.

The 21-year-old central defender cost Spartak €1 million.

The 6 ft. 2 in. player had attracted attention from several European clubs, but Spartak had been tracking Vilson for quite some time, and as a result were said to be one of the first clubs to make a specific proposal.

Although Vilson is young, and may require some time to find his legs with the squad, his acquisition does beg the question: are Martin Stranzl’s days numbered at Spartak?

As an aside: recent speculation had also linked Vasco midfielder Alex Teixeira with Spartak, but those rumors failed to come to fruition; today it was announced that Teixeira has agreed to terms with Ukrainian powerhouse Shakhtar Donetsk, pending a medical examination.

• Loko linked with Fritzler.
  

  Excitement building around Lanús' midfielder Matías Fritzler

President of Lanús (Argentina) Nicolás Russo said that his club has received a proposal to acquire central midfielder Matías Fritzler.

“We have a very serious proposal for Fritzler. We need to study it,” Russo posted on Lanús’ website. “Is it from Spain? No, it’s from Russia.”

Recently thought to be on Espanyol’s radar, the Russian club in question appears to be Lokomotiv Moskva. The 23-year-old defensive midfielder has been with Lanús for five years, proving to be more-than-competent in carrying out his holding role.

• Going back to Grozny.

26-year-old striker Shamil Asildarov will be returning to Grozny, signing a contract with the Chechen side, having played with Terek back in 2007.

“We finalized an agreement with Asildarov for three years,” said Terek vice-president Haidar Alkhanov.

Joining Spartak Nalchik mid-season, Asildarov proved to be in fine form—scoring 8 goals in only 14 matches. He had previously been linked with a return to his hometown club Anzhi Makhachkala, but apparently Omari Tetradze’s club could not muster the funds.

Nalchik officials have denied any agreement between the player and Terek, insisting that they are still engaged in talks. However, it looks almost certain Asildarov is set for a departure.

• Tarkhanov named FK Khimki’s new coach, preparing for an overhaul.

FK Khimki's new head coach Aleksandr Tarkhanov

Aleksandr Tarkhanov has been named the new manager of FK Khimki.

The former manager of CSKA Moskva (1994-96), Torpedo Moskva (1997-98), Terek Grozny (2005-06), FK Krylia Sovetov Samara (2007), and FK Kuban Krasnodar (2008) has agreed to a one-year contract with the recently relegated side.

The move was apparently orchestrated by Konstantin Sarsania, former FK Khimki manager and current sports director at Dinamo Moskva. Tarkhanov, after the announcement of the appointment, was candid in suggesting a strong future affiliation between the two clubs, suggesting that Dinamo will in the future help the Khimki side stabilize their current situation.

To prove he wasn’t just having a laugh, Tarkhanov’s good tidings with Dinamo Moskva have already led to the release of Khimki’s 19-year-old midfielder Yuri Kirillov to the Blue-Whites. Kirilov had already been rumored a month ago to be on his way to the city, and Sarsania appears to have finally sealed the deal.

The talented young central midfielder played in 19 matches in 2009, primarily as a substitute.

Time will only tell if the exchange between Khimki and Dinamo is not simply one-way. When asked about the future of the club, Tarkhanov was a bit vague, saying, “I can say that the team will be new. Of course, some players from last year will remain, but there will be quite a few new recruits. In particular, I have a few good players in mind that I’ve seen over the last year.”

In an interview with Sport Express, however, Tarkhanov did admit that goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky and captain Dragan Blatnjak—two of Khimki’s more able-bodied players—are likely to be leaving the club this winter.

• The Bundesliga to be home to another Russian striker?

Several German clubs appear to have committed themselves to a struggle over displeased Dinamo Moskva striker Aleksandr Kerzhakov.

The most aggressive club at the moment is Hamburger SV, said to have offered the 27-year-old Russian international a three-year contract (with an option for two additional years) chalk full of lucrative bonuses.

Two additional German clubs, Borussia Dortmund and Hertha BSC, have also expressed interest.

But native interest still exists; Lokomotiv Moskva has not given up on a bid (which may still include a switcheroo involving Dmitri Torbinski), and have reportedly become more aggressive with their bargaining once the news of a deal with Zenit St. Petersburg fell through. Loko officials are currently engaged in negotiations with the player’s agent. However, for any move to take place Dinamo must give its blessings—the striker has another year remaining on his contract with the Moskva club.

• Grozny propositioned by an unwanted Zicu.
  

  Is Ianis Zicu's potential just waiting to be unlocked by the right manager?

Dinamo Bucureşti midfielder Ianis Zicu has apparently been pimped by his agent to Terek Grozny, offering the services of the 26-year-old.

Dinamo are currently marred in a fiscal predicament so dire that they could no longer keep loanee defender Gabriel Tamaş. The former Spartak Moskva player, currently on the books at Auxerre, has agreed to a move to West Bromwich Albion (England). With a standout performance from Adrian Cristea this year, the relevance of Zicu’s presence has been mooted–having been deployed primarily as a substitute.

The left winger was attached to Internazionale between 2004-07, only ever being loaned out by the Nerazzuri (first to Parma before Dinamo Bucureşti and Rapid Bucureşti), and finally transferred to Dinamo in 2007.

If Zicu does not land with Terek, he is considering the option of moving to CSKA Sofia (Bulgaria).

• FK Moskva’s Hubník to stay abroad.

Despite the recent loss of Alexandru Epureanu to Dinamo Moskva, FK Moskva has decided not to bring central defender Roman Hubník back into the fold at Streltsov Stadium.

Formerly on loan to Sparta Praha (Czech Republic), the Moskva club has today announced an agreement that will send the tall Czech defender to Hertha.

Hubník will play out the remainder of the Bundesliga season with Hertha. However, the contract stipulates that Hubník will have the right continue with the Berlin squad—and sign a three-year contract–should the club stay within the top flight.

Currently Hertha sit in last place in the Bundesliga, having managed only 6 points in 17 matches.

Our weekend spletnik (Сплетник, Russian for gossip) spans the globe in search of RFN fodder. We travel from just outside Buenos Aires, where goalscoring machine Santiago Silva appears to be on his way to Russia, to Rostov-on-Don, where FK Rostov have decided on a new [...]]]>

Santiago Silva set to continue his world tour in Russia

Our weekend spletnik (Сплетник, Russian for gossip) spans the globe in search of RFN fodder. We travel from just outside Buenos Aires, where goalscoring machine Santiago Silva appears to be on his way to Russia, to Rostov-on-Don, where FK Rostov have decided on a new manager. But we’d be remiss not to have stopovers in Italy, where Berdiýew seeks defenders, and Romania, where CSKA Moskva think they have found a striker.

• Banfield striker Santiago Silva linked to a Russia club.

Banfield striker Santiago Silva, according to his agent Pablo Betancourt, has decided on a move to Russian club.

“Silva has already signed with a Russian team,” said Betancourt, “I would prefer not to name them, but they paid €5 million outright,” said Betancourt.

The gallivanting 29-year-old has played in Uruguay, Brazil, Germany, Portugal, and Argentina. He found tremendous success with Banfield—scoring 14 goals in 18 matches in the Apertura, making him the highest goal scorer of the tournament.

Recently Silva’s name had been attached to Serie A clubs; namely Roma and Lazio.

[Interestingly, Wikipedia has Silva listed as a member of FK Okean Nakhodka—currently of the Second Division East! (N.B. New reports link Silva, more reasonably, with Rubin Kazan.)]

• López to Lazio.

Lazio manager Davide Ballardini is considering a move that would bring FK Moskva’s Maxi López to Rome. Considered the most likely move that Lazio will make during the transfer window, Ballardini sees Lopez as a possible answer to his squad’s offensive woes. Currently in sixteenth place in Serie A, Lazio have scored a meager 10 goals in 17 matches (which ties them with Livorno for the league’s lowest total).

López has been on loan to Grêmio (Brazil) since February of 2009. Prior to the Lazio rumors, López had been expected to stay with the Porto Alegre club.

• CSKA in talks with Lasin Traoré.

CSKA Moskva have plans to purchase 19-year-old Ivorian striker Lacina Traoré, according to Calciomercato.

The footballer is also attacting the likes of Napoli, Udinese, Lazio (Italy), and Hamburg (Germany).

The Moskva club is apparently readying an offer in the region of €5 million, which is considerably more than what the other contenders have valued the player.

This season the young Ivorian has scored six goals for CFR Cluj (Romania), including two in Europa League play against FC København and Sparta Praha.

• Berdiýew on the lookout for defenders.
  

  Leonardo Bonucci has been dominant with Bari

Rubin Kazan manager Gurban Berdiýew reportedly traveled to Italy to witness the Genoa match against Bari—only to be disappointed by its postponement due to severe weather.

Berdiýew had set out to evaluate the two central defenders on Bari squad, according to BobSoccer, 21-year-old Andrea Ranocchia and 22-year-old Leonardo Bonucci.

Bari currently has one of the premier defenses in Serie A, with Ranocchia and Bonucci core members. After 16 matches Bari have conceded 15 goals—tied for second best.

• Tekke likely to leave Zenit.

Reports this weekend have deemed Zenit St. Petersburg Fatih Tekke’s stay with Zenit to be coming to a close.

Tekke’s contract is set to expire next August, leading many to expect a move by Zenit in order to cash in while they can.

According to Tekke’s agent, the Turkish forward will be sold during the winter transfer period, claming that the club’s asking price will be in the region of €2 million.

Tekke has not shied away from the speculation, saying, “I would like to stay at Zenit but, as I understand, the club does not want me,” said Tekke according to Sport Express.

• FK Rostov announce new head coach.

It was officially announced over the weekend that former Russian national team striker Oleh Protasov has been appointed the new manager of FK Rostov.

Protasov has coached in the Russia before, heading FK Kuban Krasnadar in 2008—at that time in the First Division. His efforts saw Kuban promoted—finishing in second place after winning 27 matches. This year he coached Iraklis Thessaloniki FC (Greece) until sacked at the end of October, replaced by Savvas Kofidis. Previous to the Greek club, Protasov managed Steaua Bucureşti (Romania) and Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (Ukraine).

• Tom Tomsk hoping to retain Artem Dzuba.

Tom Tomsk will be engaged in talks with Spartak Moskva in order to secure the services of striker Artem Dzuba.

It is believed that the Siberian club is interested in a year extension on the loan contract that has just expired.

The 21-year-old, since joining Tom Tomsk in August, played in ten matches and scored three goals.

Thursday’s rumor mill was obsessed with midfielders: Keisuke Honda, Nikola Drinčić, Vladislav Ignatyev, and Haruna Babangida. But who can resist a little sprinkling of Spalletti?

New developments in the tasty morsel of news reported earlier in the week: VVV Venvlo [...]]]>

Keisuke Honda coming to Moskva

Thursday’s rumor mill was obsessed with midfielders: Keisuke Honda, Nikola Drinčić, Vladislav Ignatyev, and Haruna Babangida. But who can resist a little sprinkling of Spalletti?

• CSKA’s European success looks to have lured Keisuke Honda.

New developments in the tasty morsel of news reported earlier in the week: VVV Venvlo midfielder and Japanese international Keisuke Honda will be traveling to the Russian capital early next week to meet with CSKA Moskva officials—to finalize negotiations in what looks more-and-more likely to be his move to the army club.

The 23-year-old Venlo captain, in comments made to Japanese press, announced his decision to leave the triple V: “I have made a decision about my future. I will play my last match for VVV on Friday evening [away at Heracles]. I will not reveal my new club just yet, but it will definitely be a surprise for some people.”

Despite the covetous eyes of Ajax, PSV, Feyenoord, AZ, Liverpool, and Everton, CSKA appears to be the next destination for the promising playmaker.

• Nikola Drinčić set for Spartak.

In another quick follow up, related to a story from over a month ago, news has come out today that Amkar Perm’s defensive midfielder Nikola Drinčić has taken measures to become a Spartak Moskovite.

Drinčić announced near the end of the 2009 season that he would not be renewing his contract with the Perm side, making him a free agent.

The 25-year-old has recently passed a physical examination conducted by Spartak Moskva and has apparently gone so far as to sign on with the club. While no official announcement has been made of yet, expect one shortly.

Billionaire Spartak owner Leonid Fedun today spoke out about his club’s transfer plans, saying “We have already made agreements with two players.”

The other player Fedun spoke of is assumed to be defender Marek Suchý—who will be on loan from Slavia Praha for the course of next year with Spartak having an option to purchase the Czech outright at the end of the year.

• Ignatyev receiving lots of calls.
  

  Vladislav Ignatyev (L) is a wanted man

Midfielder Vladislav Ignatyev has chosen to terminate his contract with Krylia Sovetov Samara.

Despite having signed a long-term contract in April with the Samara club, Ignatyev recently filed a grievance with the RFU against the club, asking to be released from his contract after not receiving his wages.

Earlier this week the RFU heard the case and authorized Ignatyev to break his contract with the club, effectively making him a free agent.

The decision has brought widespread intrigue, with several top clubs clamoring to capitalize on Samara’s misfortune.

The 22-year-old, who is capable of playing on both sides of the midfield but has tended toward the right this season, has been linked in the last few days with Rubin Kazan and Lokomotiv Moskva in particular—but FK Moskva and Zenit St. Petersburg have also made inquires.

Lokomotiv appears most intent on gaining Ignatyev’s services, pursuing the former FK KAMAZ Naberezhnye Chelny player with the most vigor. This may stem from Yuri Semin having already been won over by the midfielder’s talents this summer, but a transfer never materialized.  Now available as a free transfer, Loko’s pursuit has grown steadfast.

Krylia’s inability to retain Ignatyev comes as a major blow, as the midfielder is arguably the most-valued player on the squad. But the darkest days may be ahead for the Samara club, as more players have stepped forward to claim the club has broken their contracts as well—with some players (though not all, remarkably) also wishing to leave the club. Decisions on those cases are still pending.

• Recently relegated Kuban Krasnodar may lose midfielder.

Kuban midfielder Haruna Babangida has recently been scouted by 1. FSV Mainz 05 (Germany), according to the German club’s website.

The world-travelling right-winger has been brought into the mid-table Bundesliga club for a week-long trial.

Babangida’s youth career started in the most promising of fashions; signed at the age of 13 by AFC Ajax (his older brother Tijani had success with the Amsterdam club), the Nigerian midfielder was then acquired by FC Barcelona. Unfortunately he never broke into the Catalans’ first squad and eventually ended up in Ukraine (with Metalurh Donetsk), followed by stints in Greece (Olympiacos) and Cyprus (Apollon Limassol).

• The people of the Neva will be sartorially Spalletti-fied.

Proving in one, commercial, respect that Luciano Spalletti deems St. Petersburg a cosmopolitan center, the new Zenit coach will be opening a chain of boutiques in the Venice of the North.

According to Soviet Sport, Spalletti and his wife have made plans to open seven boutiques in the city, which are to be predictably named “Clothes from Spalletti.”

Zenit officials released a terse statement in response to inquiries: “Any business in the fashion industry is Spalletti’s private matter. It has bearing neither on his activities at the club nor on football. Don’t rule out the possibility of him opening stores in St. Petersburg. It will merely happen at the personal initiative of the coach.”

Spalletti already has a number of couture shops in Milan.

FK Tom Tomsk has finalized their first off-season transaction, signing Korea Republic captain Kim Nam-il to a one-year deal with an option for a second.

In 2002 the 32-year-old defensive midfielder emerged from obscurity after his coach Guus Hiddink moved him into the holding position during the FIFA World [...]]]>

Kim Nam-il signs on to Tom Tomsk

FK Tom Tomsk has finalized their first off-season transaction, signing Korea Republic captain Kim Nam-il to a one-year deal with an option for a second.

In 2002 the 32-year-old defensive midfielder emerged from obscurity after his coach Guus Hiddink moved him into the holding position during the FIFA World Cup—initiating a string of dominant performances that helped his team to the semi-finals.

The Siberian club’s coach Valeri Nepomniachi praised Kim’s technical abilities and disciplined style of play, seeing him as the ideal acquisition to fill the vacancy left by Aleksandar Radosavljevič—who recently decided not to renew his contract with the club.

Nepomniachi also spoke of his club’s desire to acquire another Korean player in the off-season to ease Kim’s transition; citing striker Shin Young-rok in particular, he also left open the possibility of signing a Korean defender.

Kim has stated that he was persuaded to make the move because of Nepomniachi’s familiarity with Korean football (Nepomniachi coached Bucheon SK from 1996-98) as well the recent challenge he faced when playing for his country in a friendly against Serbia.

“For the first time in a while, I played against well-rounded European players, and it was tough to match up physically with them on the pitch. Some have said I was able to fulfill my role, but it wasn’t up to my standards,” said Kim.

Formerly of Chunnam Dragons and Suwon Bluewings in his home country, Kim signed with Vissel Kobe of the J. League (Japan) in 2008.

Kim is well-known in his home country and at a certain point in his career had a somewhat cultish female fan base. Let us hope they make the trip to Trud Stadium.

According to Super Deporte, Alejandro Domínguez has agreed to terms with Valencia.

The Rubin star is said to have denied the late courtship of Roma and Juventus, opting instead to pursue a career in La Liga. The deal with Valencia is said to be for three-and-a-half years, [...]]]>

Alejandro Dominguez has played in Russia for six years

According to Super Deporte, Alejandro Domínguez has agreed to terms with Valencia.

The Rubin star is said to have denied the late courtship of Roma and Juventus, opting instead to pursue a career in La Liga. The deal with Valencia is said to be for three-and-a-half years, to begin in January, and to be worth €1.5 million per season for the attacking midfielder, as well as a signing bonus the region of €2 million.

“My move to Valencia is almost complete. I have pushed to complete it now because I want to play football in Spain and dream of having Villa and Silva as team-mates. It is true that Rubin has offered to extend my contract for another season and that is a gesture that I have valued greatly, they have always been great to me,” Domínguez said.

While no word on the official announcement has yet been made, Domínguez is expected to be on hand at the Estadio de Mestalla this Saturday to watch Valencia take on Real Madrid.

Domínguez, after six years playing in the Russian Premier League, has the third highest goal total (42) ever for a foreign-born player, behind only Bulgarian Martin Kushev (45) and  Vagner Love (61).

Late today reports have suggested the player is scheduled to arrive in Moskva on 28 December to undergo a medical examination and [...]]]>

Oleksandr Alieyv has scheduled a physical with Loko

• Aliyev coming to Moskva. Following up on a recent story, Lokomotiv Moskva seem one step closer to acquiring unsettled Dinamo Kiev midfielder Oleksandr Aliyev.

Late today reports have suggested the player is scheduled to arrive in Moskva on 28 December to undergo a medical examination and settle his new contract with Loko.

The 24-year-old was coveted for his attacking and playmaking skills, but his passport sweeten the deal. While Ukrainian by birth, Aliyev is of Russian descent and has a Russian passport—therefore he will not be considered a foreign player in the Russian Premier League.

• The Love Report:

Vagner Love’s future appears uncertain. After Palmeiras finished in a disappointing fifth place, some have started to question if the club is prepared to keep the CSKA Moskva on loan. The loan agreement, when made in August, was scheduled to last through the summer of 2010.

After returning to Brazil, Love played in 11 matches and scored 5 goals. Regardless of his productivity, some believe his present wages at the club are unjustifiably high now that the club has failed to win a spot in the Copa Libertadores. The 25-year-old currently earns roughly 155,000 euros a month.

Will the blue braids be returning?

There is widespread speculation in the Brazilian press that the management of Palmeiras is planning a major overhaul of the squad, and Love’s place is not secure.

Yesterday it was reported by Globoesporte that Love has garnered interest from new Brazilian champions Flamengo. The club’s leadership is hoping to strengthen their attack in lieu of the Copa and have two candidates in mind: Cruzeiro’s 26-year-old striker Kléber and Mr. Love.

With Love’s situation in Brazil now unstable, if a transfer to another club within the country does not take place there is the possibility of his return to the Army club.

• Zenit’s Danny seems content to stay. The midfielder has stated that he is not planning on leaving the St. Petersburg club.

“Do not trust your colleagues,” said Danny to a Sovsport reporter, “I have not talked to any journalists about this. I still have a three-year contract with Zenit and I do not want to leave. I am looking forward to returning to Zenit.”

• Zenit set to announce new coach.

Zenit St. Petersburg, according to Sport-Express, is expected to announce their new head coach before December 20.

With Zenit securing a Champions League qualification spot, it is widely assumed that former Roma coach Luciano Spalletti will be appointed.

• FK Siber Novosibirsk has signed a contract with FK Jablonec 97 (Czech Republic) midfielder Tomáš Čížek.

Cizek back to Russia after short return to Czech Republic

The Czech player has a resume full of Russian experience. He has played with Rubin Kazan (2003-5), FK Moscow (2006-8), and played for Alania Vladikavkaz this year prior to returning to the Gambrinus Liga. In 29 matches last year with Alania, Čížek scored 6 goals.

The Novosibirsk club continues to shore up its squad for its RPL debut. They also announced today that they have contracted a new two-year deal with 26-year-old winger Aleksandr Degtyarov.

• Denis Boyarintsev assess his options.

Sport-Express is suggesting that the Spartak Moskva midfielder will soon be leaving the club. With one year remaining on his contract, and his hope for a starting spot in the squad having diminished, the 31-year-old is expected to move elsewhere in the Premier League. If he requests a transfer, or the team itself decides to make a move, the paper considers FK Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast and FK Moscow to be the strongest contenders.

• FK Moskva also looking for a striker. Moskva president Igor Dmitriev has spoken out about his club’s interest in transferring Spartak Moskva attacker Artem Dzyuba on loan for 2010.

Dzyuba was loaned out to FK Tom Tomsk from Spartak during the second half of last season, where he scored three goals in 10 appearances.

Artem Dzyuba just hoping to make an impact

“We approached Spartak with a formal proposal for acquiring Dzyuba on loan for next year,” said Dmitriev. “For the moment the club has not drafted a contact. I only know that Artem wishes to pursue a career with one of the Moskva clubs. Given that, I think we would be a good fit.”

In July, Dzyuba was involved in one of the more unfortunate controversies during the RPL season. It was widely reported that he was thought to have stolen 20,000 roubles from his then-teammate Vladimir Bystrov. Dzyuba has flatly denied the allegations ever since the story broke. However, following the alleged incident he was removed from the first team and soon thereafter sent to Tomsk on loan.

The promising 21-year-old, prior to the ordeal involving Bystrov, was remembered for his goal with Spartak against Dinamo Kiev in a UEFA Champions League qualification match last year, as well as a goal against Tottenham Hostpur in the Europa League.

• Feathers have been frozen.

The Russian Football Union has prohibited FK Krylia Sovetov Samara from registering new players. The decision comes after it was reported to the RFU that the club has failed to pay wages owed to Aleksandr Salugin. The young striker was sent on loan to FK Rostov this year, but has apparently not been paid from his previous work with the Samara club earlier in 2009.

The club will be able to sign players once the arrears are paid in full.

News of Vagner Love’s tussle with three Palmeiras fans has made it all the way to USA Today. Nevertheless, we’d be remiss not to post the story on RFN.

Yesterday it was reported that three men were detained in Brazil after being accused of attacking the CSKA Moskva striker, who is [...]]]>

Could you hit this man?

News of Vagner Love’s tussle with three Palmeiras fans has made it all the way to USA Today. Nevertheless, we’d be remiss not to post the story on RFN.

Yesterday it was reported that three men were detained in Brazil after being accused of attacking the CSKA Moskva striker, who is still technically on loan with Palmeiras. The fans’ violence was apparently brought about by Love’s poor performance for the club.

The unruly fans’ analysis of Love’s form is open to debate, as he has scored five goals in eleven matches since returning to the Verdão.

The striker, in interviews, stated that he exchanged punches and kicks with the assailants outside of a bank on Tuesday. Soon after the melee had erupted a security guard from the bank stepped in to break it up. No one was injured.

Further news of any forthcoming court proceedings has not been made public. But one thing is certain, the three fans will not be found guilty of dispassion.

Palmeiras have fallen to third place in the Campeonato Brasileiro but still have a chance to win the title, with the final round coming this weekend. Palmeiras will need to beat Botafogo on Sunday and hope league-leading Flamengo and second-place Internacional fail to win their matches.

Welliton continues his interest in the Russia National Team

Coming off his sensational 2009 season, his ambition seems at an all-time high. Scoring 21 goals in 28 games, Welliton became the highest single-season goal scorer in the Russian [...]]]> Spartak Moskva’s attacking phenom Welliton says he would be ready to give the English Premier League a try.

Welliton continues his interest in the Russia National Team

Coming off his sensational 2009 season, his ambition seems at an all-time high. Scoring 21 goals in 28 games, Welliton became the highest single-season goal scorer in the Russian Premier League since Georgi Demetradze scored the same number with Alania Vladikavkaz back in 1999.

In a recent interview with Sport Express Welliton addressed a number of interesting topics revolving around his future at both the national and club level.

On the topic of playing for Brazil, his home country, he stated, “I won’t wait for a long time for an invitation to Brazil’s national team in case I have an opportunity to play for the Russian side. If all necessary documents are ready and I get a concrete invitation, I would say ‘yes’ immediately and start playing for Russia.”

Recall that in early October Welliton has made the news after making similar comments. Despite Russia failing to qualify for the World Cup, Welliton still seems very interested.

“Nothing is impossible and Russia have everything necessary to win the World Cup before I finish my playing career. Players just need to have a huge desire to play football and the coaching staff should be responsible for their preparation.

“There is no doubt about it that I could have helped the Russian national team in Maribor. Thank God I didn’t face similar negative emotions, but to say that I was disappointed by Russia’s loss is an understatement.”

When asked of his opinion regarding recent reports linking Roman Pavlyuchenko with a return to Spartak, Welliton seemed somewhat indifferent, not sensing any real competition. “We are both versatile forwards who would complement each other,” he said.

“Of course I’d be happy if we signed him. I don’t see any reason to be upset. I only have pleasant memories of playing together with him.”

After the suggestion of a Spartak-Spurs swap, a rumor that would see him sent to London in replace of Pavlyuchenko, Welliton seemed perfectly willing, “Tottenham are a famous club with a good infrastructure.”

Daniel Pancu is among a number of Terek's veterns who are leaving the club

At the top of the list is Romanian striker Daniel Pancu, who managed 7 [...]]]> A bit of a shakeup is underway at FK Terek Grozny. The club today announced their intention to purge six players, thus far, all of whom are foreign-born.

Daniel Pancu is among a number of Terek's veterns who are leaving the club

At the top of the list is Romanian striker Daniel Pancu, who managed 7 goals in 22 appearances this year for the Chechen club. The thirty-two-year-old front man, formerly of Rapid Bucureşti (Romania) and Beşiktaş (Turkey), had been with Terek for the last two seasons.

Pancu’s two fellow countrymen have also been dismissed. Midfielders  Andrei Mărgăritescu and Florentin Petre, who in 2008 came to Terek from Dinamo Bucureşti (Romania) and CSKA Sofia (Bulgaria), respectively.

While neither veteran was a full-time starter for the squad this year, the experience each had to offer proved helpful in keeping Terek in the Premier League.

With the exit of the Romanian triumvirate, a chapter in Terek’s development comes to a close. Recall, after Ramzan Kadyrov’s club won promotion to the Premier League after the 2007 season, the club signed all three veteran players on the same day–an attempt to stay afloat in the top flight of Russian football that would, in the end, prove successful.

Terek’s vice president Haidar Alkhanov, when interviewed, stated that the Romanian trio “left by mutual consent . . . they each did their work conscientiously, but it’s time to give way to others.”

Another acquisition prior to the 2008 promotion that is now set to exit Grozny is Slovak defender Radoslav Zabavník. After obtained from Sparta Praha (Czech Republic), Zabavník has been a core member of the back line, having played in 26 matches this year.

Contributing to what will surely be a defensive makeover for 2010 is the additional departure of Brazilian journeyman Cléber. The 35-year-old defender was picked up in a transfer from Wisła Kraków (Poland) earlier this year, but managed to only see the pitch 18 times after struggling with injury. His contract with Grozny was terminated by mutual consent.

Finally, back-up goalkeeper Ilion Lika has also been released. The Albanian international was crucial to Terek’s successful debut season in 2008. At the beginning of 2009, however, Lika suffered a serious achilles injury, prompting Terek to acquire Andriy Dikan—who continues to remain their starting keeper.

After Vyacheslav Hrozny opted to step down from managerial duties at Terek in October the club failed to win a single match, losing all five of their remaining fixtures. In the end, the club finished in 12th place in the RPL. Part of the complete lapse in form at the end of the year should be attributed to the final matches used, more or less, as tryout sessions for some of the young players of the club.

“We plan to improve next season,” said Alkhanov, “and plan to give our youth players more playing time.” As far as new acquisitions, he suggested, Terek will bring in “no more than two or three.”

After Krylia Sovetov Samara’s 1-3 defeat to Tom Tomsk that closed out their 2009 season, forward Jan Koller announced his decision not to return to the club next year.

The 36-year-old striker has spent two years with Samara, and during his tenure scored 16 goals. [...]]]>

Jan Koller has been with Krylia Sovetov Samara for two years.

After Krylia Sovetov Samara’s 1-3 defeat to Tom Tomsk that closed out their 2009 season, forward Jan Koller announced his decision not to return to the club next year.

The 36-year-old striker has spent two years with Samara, and during his tenure scored 16 goals. This year he netted 9 in 28 matches. With his departure, Perya not only loses his goal production but his tremendous influence on the squad—having been not only an important presence up front but a leader in the clubhouse.

Koller, who is the most prolific goalscorer for the Czech Republic National Team, appears to still have a desire to play, and has kept open the possibility of signing with a French club. Having lived in Monaco since signing with AS Monaco in 2006, Koller confirmed that he has been in talks with nearby AS Cannes, currently of the Championnat National (the French Third Division).

Jiří Jarošík may be staying in the RPL for another year

In the end, the Samara club will most likely be losing two Czech players, as 32-year-old central defender Jiří Jarošík has also made public his intention to leave the club. Jarošík had been with Samara since 2008, after being purchased from Celtic. The former Chelsea and CSKA Moskva player has not yet announced his whereabouts for 2010, but stated “I am 99 percent sure I will not stay in Samara.” He did, however, speak of his desire to play another year in Russia.

Goalkeeper Dmitri Khomich

Khomich, after playing the last two years on loan with Nalchik, has renewed his contract with Spartak Moskva through 2011. While Spartak Moskva will have obvioulsy have the ability to lease out Khomich, the likelihood of any such agreement [...]]]> Goalkeeper Dmitri Khomich’s loan spell with Spartak Nalchik has likely come to an end.

Goalkeeper Dmitri Khomich

Khomich, after playing the last two years on loan with Nalchik, has renewed his contract with Spartak Moskva through 2011. While Spartak Moskva will have obvioulsy have the ability to lease out Khomich, the likelihood of any such agreement has grown slim.

The twenty-five-year-old, previously of Alania Vladikavkaz, was acquired by the People’s Team in 2005, but has only donned the gloves four times for the Moskva team. With Soslan Dzhanaev’s lapse in form late in the season, some believe Khomich will contend for the starting keeper position at the People’s Team next year.

While at Nalchik this season Khomich played in 11 matches, allowing 9 goals and earning 3 clean sheets.

Nalchik coach Yuri Krasnozhan, in an interview with Sports Express, stated, “It is clear that neither the Muscovite club nor the player is satisfied with making the lease permanent. In Nalchik, Khomich gained experience. Now he wants to play or at least have a chance to become the number one at his club.”

In addition to Khomich, Krasnozhan’s club face the prospect of losing four additional players whose loan contracts are set to expire; midfielders Roman Kontsedalov (FK Moskva), Oleg Samsonov, and Sergei Pilipchuk (FK Khimiki), and forward Rustem Kalimullin (FK KAMAZ Naberezhnye Chelny).

Sergei Chepchugov was voted best goalkeeper of the First Division

The 24-year-old goalkeeper has confirmed his intention not to stay with newly promoted FK Sibir Novosibirsk, where he was on loan for 2009 where his contract expired. In addition, reports have suggested that he [...]]]> Sergei Chepchugov will be playing with CSKA Moskva next season.

Sergei Chepchugov was voted best goalkeeper of the First Division

The 24-year-old goalkeeper has confirmed his intention not to stay with newly promoted FK Sibir Novosibirsk, where he was on loan for 2009 where his contract expired. In addition, reports have suggested that he already has agreed to a long-term contract with the Army club, although the specifics have not yet been announced.

Sibir Novosibirsk undoubtedly had the strongest defense in the First Division this year, and Chepchugov was instrumental in guiding them to their first trip to the Premier League. Chepchugov played in 37 of the 38 matches this year for the club, allowing only 18 goals in total.

Today it was also announced that his performance for the Siberian club earned him the goalkeeper of the year award by the MNP (the Professional Football League).

This news comes amidst numerous rumors that Igor Akinfeev will be leaving CSKA at the end of the year. Chepchugov’s move to CSKA only gives more credence to such speculation, as it would seem that he would not have been so keen to head to the Army club if it seemed he would not get to see the pitch.