A recent appearance on the YouTube channel This is football bro featured Zenit’s former striker Andrey Arshavin sharing his views on how a club should allocate funds from a big transfer. He suggested using the money earned from selling Malcolm to enhance the roster of Russian players rather than chasing foreign stars. His stance highlighted a belief that strengthening domestic talent can have a lasting impact on the team’s future prospects.
Arshavin identified three top Russian talents as the core of any rebuilding plan: Pinyaev, Tyukavin, and Zakharyan. He also noted that a fourth slot would be occupied by a player who has already signed with another club, naming Diveev as the defender who remains the strongest option among Russian defenders in his view. The comments underscored a clear preference for homegrown development and continuity at the heart of squad strategy.
When discussing potential Brazilian arrivals, Arshavin cautioned that even highly touted newcomers may prefer a move back to Brazil or a switch to Europe within a short period. His analogy described the situation as a gerbil in a wheel, suggesting that short-term chaos could mask longer-term turnover and instability for the squad.
Current team assignments were clarified: Pinyaev is a player for Lokomotiv, while Tyukavin and Zakharyan were noted as Dynamo players. This detail aligned the conversation with the ongoing shift in Russian talents and where they currently ply their trade.
Zenit has publicly confirmed Malcolm’s transfer to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia. The timing of the move meant he did not participate in the season’s opening match, sitting on the bench for the contest against Pari Nizhny Novgorod.
The transfer history of Malcolm was summarized, recalling his move from Barcelona to Zenit in 2019. During his time in Russia, he accumulated multiple trophies, including four league titles, one Russian Cup, and three Super Cups, contributing to a celebrated chapter in his career with Zenit.
In related commentary, Dmitry Guberniev remarked that Malcolm’s wealth-driven motives appeared to overshadow his affinity for Russia. The statement reflected a perspective often heard in discussions about player loyalty and career decisions within the league and its fanbase, illustrating how public sentiment can diverge from contractual realities.