There are still three weeks left before the transfer market in Russia closes. And Zenit was one of the first to start active purchases. Central defender Strahinja Erakovich came to the club from Serbia, from Brazil the well-known defender Mario Fernandez and midfielder Du Queiroz (we agreed with him in the winter), and from the RPL clubs goalkeeper Denis Adamov and midfielder Alexander. Kovalenko. Peter seemed to take a break after that. Malcolm was profitably sold to Saudi Arabia and no one has yet walked through the gate after him. But there are many rumors.
Some are quickly refuted. For example, Marseille winger Cengiz Under has already moved to Fenerbahce, although active interest from St. Petersburg was reported. Aston Villa have signed the Italian Nicolo Zaniolo with an option to buy. Also beyond Russia. Time is running out, the pool of candidates is shrinking, but what is the situation now?
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According to the Championship, Zenit will consider options to strengthen three positions until mid-September: central midfielder (conditionally for Kuzyaev’s role), flank attack player (replacing Malkom) and attack center (to help Sergeyev and Cassierra ).
It can be assumed that the budget for these three players is the same 60 million euros that Malcolm received. In this case, priority will apparently be given only to the player on the flank of the attack. Considering Cassierra, who has gained momentum, and Wendel’s form, this position seems to be the most problematic. Bakaev still does not look like a footballer willing to become a leader. Like Mantuan. Mostovoy has health problems, so Semak’s options are quite limited. Not surprisingly, in recent games the coach switched to a scheme with three centrals, turning Mario and Douglas into full-backs. Obviously not of a good life.
In recent days, four players have been actively discussed in the press in the context of their move to Zenit: David Neres from Benfica, Luis Enrique from Betis, Pedro from Flamengo and Serdar Azmoun from Bayer. Let’s go over each one.
David Neres
Photo: Getty Images
Let’s start with Neres. It seemed like the perfect story. The young Brazilian was considered a great talent a couple of years ago and even played for the national team in the 2019 Copa América and for Ajax in the same Champions League where he reached the semifinals. But then came a dark period associated with injuries. However, last season he seemed to be reborn, playing very well for Benfica. It is logical that the buyers arrived at the Club in summer. One of them is Zenith.
It seems that the situation is perfect, because at the Club, according to the Portuguese press, he has a misunderstanding with the coach due to lack of playing time. The ideal moment is to come to Russia, demonstrate your level and then take the next step. But it seems that the 26-year-old himself does not see the development of his career that way. And now I am not ready to consider Russia’s proposals.
Apparently, negotiations are on hold. And it is not known if they will be renewed. Also in this case Benfica has taken a principled position and really wants to get at least 45 million euros for a football player, but Peter is not willing to spend that much on just one player.
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So now the transfer of Luis Enrique seems a slightly more realistic scenario. The Brazilian from Betis has similar playing characteristics and Relevo reported that Zenit offered around 20 million euros for him, but the Spaniards rejected the offer, making it clear that they value the player more. And they expect to receive 35 million euros. Negotiations, according to the publication, could continue if the amount is increased. In case of failure with Neres, Peter would probably be prepared for it.
Luis Enrique
Photo: Getty Images
Now let’s move on to the central forwards: here, judging by the press, there are two candidates: Azmun and Pedro. Different things are said about the Iranian on the sidelines. Not everyone has forgotten that he left Zenit in the middle of a scandal, voluntarily leaving the club and signing a contract with Bayer. So, with all due respect to merit, personal relationships were undermined. Serdar is probably not the first choice for the club, but they have him in mind. And surely they continue their negotiations with Milan, another aspiring player.
Serdar Azmuna and Pedro Abreu
Photo: Getty Images
Pedro’s story is partly similar to that of Neres. There is also a conflict with the coach. According to O Globo, Zenit are willing to offer 25 million euros for the player, but Flamengo seem to have many doubts about the possibility of a deal. It is that the transfer window in Brazil is closed and the Club does not have many forwards. Consequently, having sold Pedro, they will not be able to testify to another person. And they will greatly weaken their positions. For this reason, the Brazilian club hopes that the player will find contact with the coach and stay at least until winter.
