Our panel consists of:
Toke Theilade (@TokeTheilade): Editor in chief at RussianFootballNews, featured at Futbolgrad, ThinkFootball and TheseFootballTimes
Andrew Flint (@AndrewMijFlint): Writer for TheseFootballTimes, Futbolgrad, RussianFootballNews and BackPageFootball.com
David Sansun (@RubinKazanUK): Writer for RussianFootballNews, featured at Futbolgrad
Ilya Sokolov (@Lokosokol): Writer for RussianFootballNews and FCLM Magazine
Ben Clark (@Dinoben_): Writer for RussianFootballNews
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Who were the winners and losers on this summer’s transfer market?
Dinamo lost many important players this summer, and many of our experts see them as this summer’s big losers.
Toke: I am intrigued by CSKA’s transfers this summer. They have sent some promising young players away on loans to foreign countries, which I hope and believe will benefit the players when they come back. They have furthermore managed to sign Seydou Doumbia on a season loan, which is really important as their biggest weakness before that signing was their lack of a striker. I’m also looking forward to see what former Barcelona talent Amir Natcho can do on their midfield. He will struggle against tough competition, but he will be exciting to follow.
Rostov have naturally also done really well this summer, and with Berdyev as a coach I wouldn’t be surprised to see them compete for an Europa League spot, like they did with Miodrag Bozovic a few years ago. I aso think Krasnodar have done well considering their FFP restrictions. They have brought in some talented players without spending a lot of money.
Dinamo is the obvious loser with their fire sale, but Zenit are also weakened. Their depth have taken a serious hit this summer, as they are only really strengthened on the midfield with Yusupov. Signing Dzyuba was good, but they have lost both Rondon and Kerzhakov, and if Dzyuba gets injured they are in trouble. The same thing can be said on the left back where Rodic, Ansaldi and Khodzhaniazov are all gone. Here they only have Criscito left. The new legionnaire limit has obviously taken its toll on Zenit.
Andrew: It might be tempting to say Dinamo are the losers in this window given the number of departures they have had, not to mention the vastly reduced transfer fees they have received, but I don’t see it that way. Granted, they have lost a starting eleven of first team players, but many of them were unsettled or retiring, so at least they have trimmed the fat after the expulsion from Europe over Financial Fair Play transgressions. They have brought in a couple of established players in Vitaliy Dyakov and Pavel Pogrebnyak, and have promoted a number of youngsters from the youth system, and have managed to suffer only one defeat in the league.
I think Rostov have done extremely well again to supplement their squad with inexpensive signings and loans, in particular the reliability of Cesar Navas and creativity of Christian Noboa. You get the feeling Kurban Berdeyev has a relatively well balanced squad, and already look like building a much more solid season. The winners for me though a Krasnodar, who have picked up Fyodor Smolov Stefan Strandberg and Dmitriy Torbinskiy on free transfers, as well as stealing the star turn from their rivals Kuban in Charles Kaboré. Smolov in particular will be a revelation this season in my opinion after finally having a breakthrough loan spell at Ural, and arguably they have the best midfield outside CSKA.
The losers? Kuban. A directionless policy brought in Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko on inflated salaries, they lost their main creator to Spartak in Ivelin Popov, and suffered the indignity of seeing Kaboré switch across the city, even if it is only on loan.
David: For me, the winners were Rostov and Krylia. Rostov have compiled the old Berdyev brigade, and with Noboa, Azmoun, Cesar Navas & Mogilevets coming in, they have really added some quality to the side which was already strong with players like Bukharov, Kalachev and Novoseltsev.
Krylia have dabbled well in the loan market. Yoann Mollo looks an inspired signing after his impressive 3 assists against Zenit last weekend. Sheldon Bateau, Pavel Yakovlev and Miroslav Lobantsev also add experience in different departments of the pitch. The permanent signings they’ve made in Rodic, Sadik and Pomerko are solid and should galvanize a squad that is already out-performing expectations.
To an extent, CSKA and Rubin have done pretty well too, but in different ways. CSKA added the one thing they’ve needed since February, Seydou Doumbia, and Rubin did well to resist the offers to hold on to their young talents in Nabiullin, Kverkvelia, Ozdoev and Kanunnikov.
Ilya: Despite the outrage of André Villas-Boas, I find Zenit transfer campaign successful. They managed to sell Rondon for €17 million, and I don’t think he’s better than for example Dame N’Doye, who was sold to Hull City for only €3 million. Rondon is not the top class striker Zenit needs. He always paled into insignificance during big games. I’m not sure Dzyuba is the top class striker either, but Zenit got high-quality player with Russian passport for free, and that is always good.
The other Krasnodar club got out of the restrictions imposed by UEFA by signing Smolov, Strandberg and Torbinski for free and loaning Kabore. They have obviously strengthened their squad, however they lost the most important player they had – Roman Shirokov. Shirokov is still considered as the most creative Russian player, so I don’t think it is possible to replace him.
Dinamo looks good without the foreign stars their sold, but we should wait a little longer before judging them. Anyway, it seems that Dinamo didn’t get paid enough for the players they sold, as they only received €5 million for Valbuena, €3 million for Vainqueur, and €1.6 million Dzsudzsak, (they had bought him for €19 million) while they didn’t get a penny for Smolov, Granat and Kuranyi.
Ben: I have been majorly impressed with Rostov this summer. The connections Kurban Berdyev has brought to the club gave them a huge advantage when signing the experienced Christian Noboa and Cesar Navas, deals which could bring the club up to contending for a mid-table position. Despite their slow start, Anji’s movement in the window has been impressive. The acquisition of Hugo Almedia is sure to bring them goals. With the additions of Haruna and Ebecillo, the former is bound to bring them strength in midfield whilst Ebecillo, who has linked up with manager Seman for the third time, will give the team a different dimension in the attacking third.
Dinamo Moscow strikes me as the biggest losers of this year’s window. Losing their place in the Europa League left players wanting to leave and with those names including Valbuena, Douglas, Vainquier, a large amount of their core has gone. With them being unable to replace those players too, their team is far weaker than what it was before the summer window opened.
Who has been the best signing this summer, and who will end up as a disappointment?
Seydou Doumbia’s return to CSKA and Moscow could end up as this summer’s best signing according to our experts.
Toke: There have been many good, and cheap, signings this summer, but Seydou Doumbia (CSKA) and Pavel Pogrebnyak (Dinamo) have both closed some big holes at their new clubs. Doumbia could very well be this summer’s best transfer if he returns to his old level. He’s just what CSKA needed. He was furthermore relatively cheap option for CSKA.
I am also very excited about CSKA’s signing of Amir Natcho, a player I made a short interview with last year.
Regarding the worst signing, it is difficult to get around Roman Pavlyuchenko. I don’t think he will make much of an impact this season, although he is lucky the foreigner limit exist, as it will guarantee him some playing time. Unfortunately, I can’t see him taking advantage of this.
Andrew: For me the best signing has been Seydou Doumbia, because he completes the jigsaw at CSKA and was a sensible target at a manageable level of expense. It is an obvious choice in a way, but it never felt like it was working for him at Roma, and instead of being overpriced for another unproven star, they now have a man whose loyalty to the club and popularity with the fans and players is not in question. His physical attributes will be a better option as the focal point of the attack as opposed to Ahmed Musa, who can now be better used out wide with his pace.
Fyodor Smolov is potentially another great signing, as despite the slightly wasteful playboy image he had while in a relationship with Lopyvera, he really knuckled down last season with Ural and showed his enormous versatility, as well as his ability to play the lone striker role. His nationality is a massive added bonus in the current climate, but even disregarding that, he will complement the pace of Krasnodar wide men.
It is hard for Andrey Arshavin to ever disappoint fans with his unique brand of bizarre photo opportunities and decorated history in the game, but it was always set up to be white elephant of a transfer. It was an understandable move on his part; better to drop down a level than rot in the reserves another season, but Kuban should have thought more carefully.
David: On paper you’re looking at Doumbia (CSKA), Kabore (Krasnodar), Noboa (Rostov) and Mollo (Krylia) could all be good additions but time will tell just how much they pay off. The disappointment is clear already for me, and that is Pavlyuchenko and Arshavin at Kuban. Old players past their prime on big money no doubt. Not being effective at all and could be their downfall, as they are already rooted to the bottom without a win.
Ilya: I will choose among Russian players, as it is impossible to underestimate their value considering the uncertainty with the future of the foreigner limit. I believe in Dzyuba’s potential, but it will be hard for him to develop under Villas-Boas, who seems to have stopped coaching Zenit. Smolov, who is already one of the brightest players in Russia, can reach a new level with Krasnodar. I predict they can sell him for more than the €0 Krasnodar have paid for him.
Russian clubs didn’t spend very much this summer, so they won’t lose much if the new players fail to meet the expectations. Nevertheless, the signing of Pavlyuchenko is the worst, as he is paid much more than he deserves right now.
Ben: Simply for the importance and the influence he may have on his club, I would have to go for Yohan Mollo, on loan to Krylia Sovetov as the signing of the summer. It could have gone to Doumbia because I think his goal scoring record is what CSKA missed last season after he left for Roma. On the other hand, I think Mollo could be incredibly useful and I see his deal as a bit of a coup. His ability was shown against Zenit where he was involved in all three goals which helped his team to record a famous win at the Petrovsky. Baring he stays fit and carries his performance into other games, I think his talent could help Krylia be the surprise package this season.
On the flip side, my predicted flop is Ze Luis for Spartak Moscow. Signed from Braga, the striker doesn’t bring a goal scoring pedigree with him which questions as to why Spartak spent 6.5 million euros on him. His career in Russia hasn’t got off to a wonderful start either with just the single goal in seven appearances (albeit, he has only started twice). At 24, he is still relativity young but I can’t see him being the player to fire Spartak to challenging at the top of the table.
Of the players who left the Russian Premier League this summer, who will you miss the most?
Mathieu Valbuena will be missed in Russia.
Toke: I was sad to see Marat Izmailov leave. I didn’t expect much when he returned last season, but he did well for FC Krasnodar, and I hoped they could find some way to extend his loan deal.
Dinamo’s Mathieu Valbuena was also a wonderful player to follow, and he will also be missed. Valbuena was, together with Hulk, the best and most spectacular player in the Russian Premier League, and the star dust he provided is almost impossible to replace
Andrew: Mathieu Valbuena. For the beginning of last season, he was absolutely world class, and looked like taking the Russian Premier League by storm. I was bemused by his decision to come to Russia in the first place, and I guess I’m not entirely surprised that he didn’t stay, but it is a crying shame that financial mismanagement has led to his disenchantment and subsequent departure. It is a huge bonus any time a top international talent comes to Russia and settles, but it was for the best in the interests of the player.
I’m also disappointed to see Salomon Rondón leave, if only for what it symbolises. In AVB’s defence, he has a point about the foreigners quota harming the domestic game – Rondón was a good goalscorer, with a decent scoring record, and instead of being able to thrive he will become a small fish in a very big pond in England. The effect the rule adjustment has had on the motivation of Russian players has not been positive overall, even if Dzyuba did score at the weekend for Russia, so I don’t see why a quality player should suffer.
David: I personally will miss Valbuena the most just because of how good he is, but Rondon and Ailton come close. All three were very important to their sides last season and all have different qualities that will be missed in the RPL.
Ilya: As a Lokomotiv fan, I will miss Jan Tigorev, a solid defensive midfielder who became a victim of the new limit. If I ignore the club affiliation, the biggest loss is Valbuena. He looked like a wizard among Dinamo’s players. He was the creative midfielder the RPL needs to get more attractive. Many didn’t like him arguing with the referees all the time, but maybe he did it because he cared? Valbuena took part in all of the 7 goals Dinamo scored before he was sold, and I’m sure they will miss him soon too.
Ben: No question about it, there was some very talented players to leave Russia this summer. Amongst them all though, I think Mathieu Valbuena will be missed the most. What makes it worse was the fact he was only in Russia for a season but he is an incredibly equipped player. His close control, dribbling and ability to beat defenders last season was executed in a lot of his appearances last term. His dead ball ability was spectacular and with 11 assists, he was a fundamental part behind Dinamo’s final league position last season.
The summer was as usual filled with transfer rumours, which transfer rumour would you have liked to see come true?
Our experts would have liked to see Kokorin try himself in the English Premier League.
Toke: On the last day of the transfer window I saw rumours of Tottenham’s Emmanuel Adebayor going to Spartak Moscow. I doubt there was even a grain of truth in these rumours, but that would truly have been beautiful. So much madness at one club. It could have been very entertaining.
On a more realistic note I would have liked to see Terek’s midfielder Oleg Ivanov going to a bigger club. He is a late bloomer, and with his current 29 years he will soon have to leave Chechnya if he is to play for a big club. I think he could improve many of the clubs in the top half, and it is a shame that he doesn’t get to play for a more exciting club than Terek.
Andrew: Aleksandr Kokorin to Arsenal/Manchester United/Tottenham/anyone else in the English Premier League. It would be wonderful to see the supposed cream of the crop tested in the harshest environment, even if he would most likely struggle. I am frustrated every time I watch him, as he seems to drift out of games, and indeed whole periods of the season, so if only to shake him up, take him outside his comfort zone.
Dmitry Sychev to Tyumen was the big one I was looking forward to though! Having said that, I’m not sure he’d make it in ahead of Khasan Mamtov…
David: It would have been interesting to see Kokorin in the English Premier League at Arsenal or Manchester United, and whether he could have fulfilled his potential. As a Rubin supporter, the Mogilevets and Noboa rumours would have been great had they been realized, but Rostov snuck in on both.
Ilya: The departure of Mbark Boussoufa. This guy was more or less useful last season, but this summer he has once again showed that he does not want to play in Russia. And he won’t, as his place on the field is reserved for young Miranchuk, one of the brightest Russian talents. When Miranchuk failed to impress at the start of the season, he was replaced by the recently signed Kolomeitsev, who made two assists in his first game as an attacking midfielder. The foreigner limit won’t let Boussoufa play in the Premier League games, but he also won’t play for Lokomotiv in Europa League because he isn’t registered. Some say the reason were the high bonuses Lokomotiv would have to pay in case Boussoufa plays in European tournaments, and it vividly characterizes the relationship between the club and the player
Ben: It would have been nice to see Joao Moutinho join Zenit. It is always nice to see a reputable name to join the Russian Premier League because I think it helps raise the profile of the league. Not only that but I think it would have helped Zenit in their quest for better success on a European level. The problem was, it depended on Axel Witsel leaving the club which Zenit were very stubborn about. To have seen those two in midfield, it might have been one of the best midfield partnerships within Europe.
Although he is very much Russia’s ‘Prince’ and it would have been devastating to lose his qualities, it would have been intriguing to have seen how Alexandre Kokorin did at Arsenal in the Premier League. I doubt he would have fitted in very well and I don’t imagine he would have had more success than the last Russian to be at Arsenal. The question is, would it have helped his development which has very much stalled in recent years?
