Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Rumour Roundup: June 26th, 2013

We've actually had some big and highly anticipated moves rumoured this week, so let's jump right in and have a look at them.

Done Deals:
Zenit players Igor Denisov and Mikhail Kerzhakov have joined Anzhi for a combined fee of 15.5 million. Denisov made 253 appearances in 11 years at the club, scoring 23 goals and being capped for the Russian national team 37 times. Kerzhakov was not nearly as successful, failing to make a league appearance for the club and only being capped for the under-21 national team 3 times.

Spartak Moscow have announced that Schalke 04 midfielder Jose Manuel Jurado has joined the team on a permanent transfer, having spent the 2012-13 season on loan at the club, making 18 appearances in the league and scoring 3 goals.

Looking Likely:
Anzhi are looking to complete the signing of either Newcastle's Senegalese forward Papiss Demba Cisse or Vitesse's Ivorian striker Wilfried Bony. They plan to offer Newcastle €18 million for Cisse's services, which is about €12 million short of the asking price, while they also face competition from Swansea for Bony.

50/50:
New Everton manager Roberto Martinez wants to swoop for Spartak winger Aiden McGeady and CSKA playmaker Keisuke Honda. Both McGeady and Honda have long been linked with moves away from their clubs and have both gone on record as saying they would be willing to move this summer, with their contracts expiring in December this year (Honda) and June next year (McGeady. Martinez came close to signing McGeady for Wigan on deadline day in January, but was unable to agree terms. Meanwhile, Honda has been heavily linked with AC Milan in recent weeks.

Anzhi utility player Odil Akhmedov has claimed that Arsenal scouts have been watching him play and are interested in a €4 million move. If the move were to be completed, Akhmedov would become the first Uzbek to play in the English Premier League

Low Chance:
Polish midfielder Maciej Rybus has stated he will not be leaving Terek Grozny this summer, despite being linked with clubs such as Zenit in recent weeks. Since joining last summer, Rybus has played 30 league games, scoring a respectable 7 goals.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Rumour Roundup: June 19th, 2013

So finally we've seen some transfers push through this week, some of which have been both interesting and perplexing. Let's jump into it.

Done Deals:
Lokomotiv midfielder Denis Glushakov has crossed town and joined rivals Spartak for an undisclosed fee. An article confirming the transfer was posted on Spartak's website before being removed and then reposted with no official explanation.

Versatile Ukrainian defender Taras Mykhalyk has joined Lokomotiv Moscow on a free transfer after his contract at Dynamo Kiev expired, signing a 3 year contract. The 29-year-old joined Dynamo in 2013 and made 124 league appearances in his time there.

Anzhi striker Serder Serderov has joined newly promoted Ural Yekaterinburg on loan until the end of the 2013-14 season. Serderov has made just 4 appearances for Anzhi since joining from CSKA Moscow last summer, scoring no goals.

Looking Likely:
Denis Cheryshev looks set to leave Real Madrid as he has continued to be linked with moves away from the club. In addition to reported interest from Manchester United, Spartak Moscow, Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla, he has been linked to a part-swap deal for Malaga's Isco.

Igor Denisov has been linked with a move to Anzhi by former Zenit player Sergei Vedeneev. Vedeneev stated that "Zenit have already bought his replacement in Tymoschuk", whilst also claiming that Mikhail Kerzhakov could make a move to the Makhachkala club.

50/50:
Zenit midfielder Roman Shirokov has stated that he has a "deep down desire to play in a European club" but that he has "not received any concrete offer". Both Monaco and Liverpool have been linked with the central midfielder in recent weeks.

Balazs Dzsudzsak's agent has claimed that Liverpool and Internazionale have an interest in his client and have made enquiries. Dzsudzsak joined Dinamo Moscow in January 2012 and made 27 appearances last season, scoring 5 goals and making 10 assists

Low Chance:
Anzhi has distanced itself from moves for Fredy Guarin, Roberto Soldado and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, stating that "these assumptions are without substance". 

Zenit central midfielder Axel Witsel has claimed that he is "not thinking about leaving Zenit" despite interest from Paris Saint-Germain. Witsel has struggled for form since joining Zenit last summer for €40 million, but is only 24 and has managed to nail down a first team spot in St. Petersburg.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Rumour Roundup: June 12th, 2013

Thus far it has been quite a slow week for transfer rumours, so today there's a shorter Rumour Roundup than usual. On non-transfer related news, Samuel Eto'o was named the Russian Premier League's best player for the 2012-13 season, which is absolutely ridiculous.

Done Deals:
Rubin's Gokhan Tore has joined Turkish side Besiktas on a season long loan deal with an option to buy. The young winger had shown some bright spots since signing from Hamburg last summer, but has been mostly out of favour and only managed to make 5 league appearances over the course of the season.

Tino Costa has completed his €7 million switch from Valencia to Spartak Moscow. The Argentinian midfielder was forced to depart Spain due to heavy financial problems that plagued his club, which could also see players such as Sergio Canales and Roberto Soldado follow Costa out the exit door in the summer.

Looking Likely:
CSKA Moscow have reportedly offered former Arsenal midfielder Denilson a contract ahead of interest from Turkish and German clubs. The Brazilian midfielder has not made an appearance for Arsenal since 2011 and spent the last 3 years on loan at Santos before his contract at his parent club expired at the end of the 2012-13 season.

50/50:
Spanish midfielder Esteban Granero could be swapping Queen's Park Rangers for Rubin Kazan in the wake of his club's relegation from the English Premier League. This past week, Granero's agent confirmed that he would be leaving QPR and that Russian clubs were interested. Rubin seems to be leading the chase, however Anzhi appear to be following the situation closely as well.

3 Rubin stars could be set to leave the Kazan club on free transfers in December after Vladimir Dyadyun revealed that he was "surprised" that no one at the club has contacted him, Bibras Natkho or Aleksandr Ryazantsev regarding their expiring contracts.

Irish winger Aiden McGeady has admitted that he may leave Spartak Moscow this summer amidst interest from Everton. He recently stated that the club may decide to cash in on him considering that his contract expires in little over a year, but that he is not bothered to stay in Moscow next season.

Low Chance:
Spartak are planning a move for Real Madrid Castilla winger Denis Cheryshev, but could be beaten to the starlet by Manchester United. Cheryshev has impressed for Russia's youth national teams and made his debut for the senior national team in November, although he has never actually played for a Russian club.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Rumour Roundup: June 5th, 2013

Welcome to the first ever transfer rumour roundup on From Beyond the Iron Curtain. Each week I'll sort transfer rumours into four categories: completed deal, looking likely, 50/50 and low chance of completion. Let's get underway.

Completed Deals:
Ukraine captain Anatoliy Tymoshchuk will return to Zenit on a free transfer on July 1st. The 34-year-old previously spent 2 years at the St. Petersburg club, scoring 18 goals in 100 appearances, before moving to Bayern Munich, where he earned two UEFA Champion's League runners up medals and lifted the trophy once.

Looking Likely:
Valencia midfielder Tino Costa appears to be close to sealing a move to Spartak Moscow for a fee in the range of €7 million. It is believed that personal terms and a fee have been agreed, although the playmaker still needs to complete a medical

Andrei Arshavin could return to Zenit on a free transfer when his contract at Arsenal expires on July 1st. The former Russia captain moved to Arsenal from the St. Petersburg club in 2009 but found playing time hard to come by and moved back on loan in the second half of the 2011-12 season.

CSKA playmaker Keisuke Honda has declared that his "mission [at CSKA] is complete" as he edges for a move to AC Milan. Milan are reportedly interested in Honda as a replacement for Kevin Prince Boateng, who is believed to be leaving in the summer. Honda's contract expires on January 1st, meaning that Milan may get him at a cut price, although long-time admirers Liverpool are believed to be preparing an offer as well.

50/50:
Zenit winger Hulk has continued to be linked with a move away from the St. Petersburg club. Despite having troubles with management and teammates, the Brazilian has stated that he is happy in St. Petersburg, although English Premier League teams Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are linked with a €40 million move.

Kuban forward Ivelin Popov has claimed that English Premier League club Aston Villa are "seriously interested" in him. Popov has scored 9 goals in 23 league appearances for Kuban since joining last August.

Gokhan Tore appears to be edging closer to a move away from Rubin. The Turkish winger has only spent one season in Russia, but Turkcell Super Lig team Besiktas has offered €1.75 million for the 21-year-old, although the Kazan-based side are holding out for his €5 million release clause.

Low Chance:
Reading striker Pavel Pogrebnyak has claimed that he would "consider top clubs in Russia", although his preference is to stay in England. The Russian international has been linked with Zenit and Kuban in recent months.

Anzhi's efforts to sign French defender Kurt Zouma appear to have failed as he nears a contract extension at St. Etienne. Zouma was thought to be one of two major talents to be leaving this summer, alongside Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, with clubs such as Manchester United and Barcelona interested, however it appears that he will stay for at least one further season.