Rostov is different now. Karpin may no longer talk about the task of avoiding relegation
Dmitry Zimin July 5, 2024, 16:30 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
With the current policy, the team can fight for the top 5 of the RPL. The transfers say exactly this.
Do you know what distracted Valery Karpin from his vacation, where the coach flew immediately after the Russian national team’s match in Minsk? Of course, calls from Rostov. He spoke about this in Belarus: he supposedly plans to spend time with his family on vacation and keep in touch with managers about transfers. In a later interview with Championship, Karpin added that the team needs reinforcement, but refused to name the number of positions. However, the pace at which the club has been signing players has impressed from the very beginning.
Interview with Karpin about the Russian national team and Rostov:
Exclusive
“This may be my last game for the Russian national team.” Great interview with Karpin.
At the beginning of July, Rostov bought two goalkeepers – Rustam Yatimov and Hidayet Hankic, took Konstantin Kuchaev as a free agent, acquired the rights to the main central defender of the spring – Umar Sako, and is also waiting for the arrival of Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Saravia. Very soon the footballer will join the team and sign a contract. Surely the matter will not end there.
Now the club is dealing with players returning from loan. These are mainly players who have long since suspended their contracts, but there are still no buyers for them. Therefore, time and again, Rostov is forced to look for rental options for them. This summer so far we have managed to sell Magnus Knudsen.
Valery Karpin
Photo: Dmitry Golubovich, “Championship”
Others are in limbo, although they won’t be playing for Rostov. Roma and Fiorentina are reportedly interested in Pontus Almqvist, but are not very willing to pay for him. Armin Gigovich did not impress Danish scouts with his play, so his agent insists on a new loan, after which the player will leave as a free agent. Striker Ali Sow is close to a loan move to Turkish side Rizespor. Rostov has no more problem players left. Here are the latest.
The main feature of this summer is that the club does not part with the players around whom the core is built. Note that there are endless rumors about the departure of leaders, but none of them left Rostov. In addition to Knudsen, two goalkeepers left: Medvedev and Pesyakov, for whom replacements had already been found. Also, Denis Terentyev – the defender was not offered a new contract. That’s all. And it seems that the Donetsk team is not going to change the trend.
Sergey Pesyakov
Photo: Artyom Gusev, “Championship”
Although everyone understands perfectly well: Krasnodar came for Osipenko this summer; they were persistent and wanted to strengthen their position with a footballer with a Russian passport. What did Rostov do? He refused to sell the leader. Shchetinin was interested in CSKA, Lokomotiv and several other high-status clubs from the RPL. Answer: only for a lot of money. Latest news: Utkin was offered to Lokomotiv. Do you know why this is not true? Because Rostov will not sell the player below his transfer value. And this is 5-6 million euros according to Transfermarkt. Lokomotiv does not have that kind of money.
Golenkov will also leave only in case of a major offer. Just like Glebov. In fact, it is very difficult to negotiate transfers with the current Rostov. The club does not seem to have much need for sales. For them it is much more important to have a competitive team next season.
Who became a free agent on July 1?
These RPL players woke up today unemployed. From famous families, not only Dzyuba.
Let’s assume that all the leaders remain. Add to that an interesting boost. And what can we get as a result? At least Valery Karpin, who with such a squad surely has reasons to stop saying that the team’s main task is not to be relegated. And given how the coach knows how to work on the development of players, in the new season we can expect a fight for the Top 5.
