“We couldn’t wait any longer.” Exclusive details of Kuzyaev’s transfer to France
Jul 12, 2023 10:00 am PDT Audio Version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
That the footballer of the Russian national team was hooked by the small club Le Havre, explains his father and part-time agent.
About one in two Russian footballers talks about the desire to prove themselves in Europe in detailed interviews. Not many are taking concrete steps in this direction. And only a few leave.
Daler Kuzyaev is one of those exceptions. He didn’t just talk, he did it. At the age of 30, the player was not afraid to step out of his comfort zone, he turned down a guaranteed contract at Zenit and left for the unknown: the old but not rich club from Le Havre.
Dreams come true:
Kuzyaev fulfilled a dream in which only he believed. How happy for him
About how this transfer epic developed, we were told by its direct participant – the father and agent of part-time midfielder Adyam.
How did this whole story unfold? – Very difficult. Le Havre was one of the first to contact us, three or four weeks ago, and immediately showed great interest. The club’s sports department, headed by the head coach, gave a detailed presentation: how the team plays, in what role they see Daler. Le Havre has just been promoted from the second division: it is clear that the club is not rich. But that’s what got us hooked. There were several proposals that were even more economically interesting. But Le Havre behaved in the most decent and persistent way. We seriously considered all possible options and gradually arrived at what Daler wanted. With God’s help, everything worked out. We think this club is perfect for us as a starting point in Europe. I am very happy for my son. For him, this is a new challenge: new partners, language, championship. New life. I’m sure it will be interesting. We’ll see.
— From which other countries did you receive applications? – Probably everyone has heard of Türkiye. In addition, there were options in Italy, Saudi Arabia, the same France (in addition to Le Havre). I confess that we expected an offer from Germany, but unfortunately we did not receive it.
– Was the Bundesliga a priority? – The priority, of course, was Spain. We had contacts, but the local teams were not ready for substantive negotiations at this time. The Spanish are always slow.
“Manyana, tomorrow?” – Yes, yes, manyana, exactly (laughs). But we couldn’t wait any longer. Daler worked independently with a personal trainer. I also corrected his training. But it was time to return to a more intense pace.
In addition, the French championship is also quite strong. There are real stars, there are PSG, Monaco. By the way, Daler’s medical examination had just taken place at the same Parisian clinic as Paris Saint-Germain: he was in the morning and they were in the afternoon. We parted for a bit.
Daler Kuzyaev
Photo: Dmitry Golubovich, Championship
– Weren’t you afraid of leaving Zenit for nothing? Or were you already sure there would be a team? – I would like to thank Zenit through you. The club behaved super professional and correctly. They gave Dahler the pick, and we’re thankful for him. And if you are afraid to change something, you will never take a step forward. We were confident that everything planned would go well. And so it happened.
– How long has your son wanted to play in Europe? – I think that every footballer has this desire since childhood. I was a kid myself and had posters of European clubs on my walls. Any player is interested in testing his strength in a new world, stronger championships. Daler had that dream from a very young age. The guy wanted to play in the top 5, money here was initially in the background.
But not everyone dares to step out of their comfort zone, right? – I wouldn’t say units. I think in fact most guys want it, but not all of them make it. It is very difficult. We only got it on the second try. And it’s not about money, as the press writes. Different clubs have their own requirements for players. In general, negotiations are not an easy process.
– When will Daler join the complete training process? – It already started. While the team is in training camp (they return Friday through Saturday), Daler will work with a physical trainer, after which he will join new partners.
– He is satisfied? – Satisfied. We finally got to what we planned, and this is the most important thing.
