Former Zenit and Russian national team midfielder Andrei Arshavin weighed in on the potential move of a Russian footballer to a Premier League club. His remarks were reported by Sports Express.
Arshavin suggested that the league standard might be a stretch for most, but he singled out Golovin as a player with the ability to reach that level. He added that Zakharyan could perhaps make the transition in the long run.
Arshavin spent four seasons in English football with Arsenal, where he earned recognition as the Premier League Player of the Month in April 2009.
Golovin’s path took him from CSKA Moscow to Monaco in the summer of 2018.
In Ligue 1 last season, the Russian midfielder appeared in 34 matches, scoring eight goals and providing seven assists. He also set a record by breaking the league’s goal-scoring mark in a single season.
So far this season, Golovin has played in 10 matches, with five goals and two assists to his name. He was Monaco’s standout player in September and October and has been part of an ongoing debate for Ligue 1 player of the month, alongside stars such as Kylian Mbappe and Warren Zaire-Emery.
Earlier, Ponomarev stated that Golovin would not reach the pinnacle expected by the Russian team.