Former player Andrei Kanchelskis, who notably represented Manchester United in England and played for the Russian national team, weighed in on the speculative move of Alexander Sobolev from Spartak Moscow to Zenit Saint Petersburg. He stressed a blunt reality of modern football: money increasingly drives transfer decisions. “RB Sports”
According to Kanchelskis, footballers today place financial rewards at the forefront, suggesting they often value money above other considerations. He remarked that some players have a distorted sense of loyalty, implying that financial incentives can override personal ties or club history. He added that the priorities stack up in favor of lucrative offers, hinting that transfers can hinge on the monetary aspects rather than sport and development alone.
In the 2023/24 Russian Premier League season, Sobolev appeared in 27 league games and found the back of the net five times, contributing meaningfully to his team’s attack.
Zenit Saint Petersburg clinched the national title for the 2023/24 campaign with 57 points, sealed by a 2-1 victory over Rostov in the final round. Krasnodar finished second after their 1-0 win against Dynamo. The race for the championship showcased Zenit’s consistency and tactical depth across the season, underscoring the club’s status as a perennial title contender in Russian football.
During Spartak Moscow’s season, managerial changes marked a decisive period. Guillermo Abascal was sacked from the role of head coach in April, and Bosnian coach Vladimir Sliskovic stepped in to lead the squad. Spartak ultimately ended the season in fifth place with 50 points, a result that reflected a mixture of squad disruption and the challenges of sustaining form. In the weeks that followed, the club announced the appointment of Dejan Stankovic, the Serbian strategist and former Crvena Zvezda and Ferencvaros boss, to take charge ahead of the next campaign, signaling a clear shift in direction for the red-and-white club.
Past commentary from Zarema Salikhova weighed in on Sobolev’s potential departure from Spartak to Zenit, highlighting the ongoing conversation around the player’s future and the broader implications for both clubs as they negotiate talent and terms in a highly competitive market.