Petersburg’s Brazilian football player “Zenith” Malcolm nicknamed the newcomer blue-white-blue Alexander Kovalenko during Russia’s first practice with the team.
During class, Malcolm addressed Kovalenko as “Hey Claudinho”, hinting at the similarity of hairstyles between the two football players.
On June 30, Kovalenko moved from Sochi to Zenit and signed a contract until 2028.
The 19-year-old Kovalenko is a graduate of the Chertanovo Academy. Moved to the Soviet Samara Wings in the winter of 2022. He signed a deal with Sochi in the summer of the same year, but continued to play for Wings on loan.
Kovalenko has 30 games for the Samara club, where he scored two goals and provided three assists.
Called up for the Russian national team for the first time in the fall of 2022, Kovalenko made his debut for the national team in a friendly match against the Kyrgyz national team on September 24.
Formerly Italian club complained on the very high salary of a Russian football player.