In St. Petersburg, Andrei Kanchelskis, the former Manchester United star, weighed in on why Artem Dzyuba, the ex-Zenit striker, has yet to secure a new club. Speaking to Championship.com, Kanchelskis suggested that money isn’t the sole determinant for a player of Dzyuba’s caliber and age, hinting that other factors influence a move after a long layoff from competitive football. He implied that if Dzyuba were solely chasing a paycheck, a return to top flight football would have happened sooner, and at a club where the terms were clearly favorable. The veteran’s point focused on the reality that time away from the game affects a striker’s market value and readiness to contribute immediately on the pitch, even if offers exist that would be financially stable for the player. Kanchelskis’s remarks reflect a broader conversation in modern football about preserving competitive sharpness and the delicate balance between financial security and on-field readiness for players approaching veteran status.
Artem Dzyuba, who secured a fourth championship with Zenit last season, departed the club as his contract concluded, leaving the market open for new opportunities. Since then, the 35-year-old forward has not found another club that aligns with his professional goals or provides the right blend of project vision, league level, and personal circumstances. Reports in mid-July highlighted that Dzyuba was keeping himself in peak condition at Rubin Kazan, a team relegated to the First Division after last season’s standings. The situation underscores a common challenge for seasoned strikers: maintaining top physical form while negotiating for the right career move that offers both competitive football and a viable pathway to future roles, whether on the field or in a coaching or mentoring capacity later on. Rubin Kazan’s situation itself adds another layer, as clubs in lower divisions evaluate aging forwards against youth development plans and salary constraints, often prioritizing younger talent with long-term potential. The dynamic illustrates how a player’s next step can hinge as much on strategic timing and club-fit as on raw talent and past achievements.
Former Honorary President of the Russian Football Union, Vyacheslav Koloskov, weighed in with perspectives on the Turkish club Adana Demirspor and the St. Petersburg powerhouse Zenit. Koloskov noted that Adana Demirspor had shown interest in Dzyuba, signaling a potential path for the striker to continue competing at a high level outside Russia. At the same time, the conversation in St. Petersburg suggested that Zenit might consider extending a contract or offering a new position to the former Zenit captain should market conditions and playing time align with the club’s strategic needs. This kind of cross-border interest demonstrates the continuing relevance of Dzyuba as a veteran frontman, capable of contributing experience, leadership, and goal poaching instincts to teams evaluating their attacking options. The broader narrative here is one of prudent career management for a player who has spent significant seasons at the summit of Russian football, while also keeping doors open to opportunities beyond the domestic league. It highlights how veteran players negotiate complex landscapes of club interest, contract terms, and the evolving demands of modern football, where age can be both a barrier and a source of valuable mentorship and strategic depth for teams rebuilding their attacking lines. The emerging picture emphasizes that a player’s next chapter is shaped not just by a single club’s offer, but by a constellation of factors including playing time, league competitiveness, cultural fit, and long-term career goals, which can sustain or shorten the twilight phase of a professional football career.