Olga Smorodskaya weighs in on Artem Dzyuba’s future and European prospects
Olga Smorodskaya, a former leader of Moscow’s Lokomotiv club, recently commented on the current state of Artem Dzyuba, the striker known for his sharp red-green attacking style. Her assessment touches on whether Dzyuba can sustain a career in European football and what his next steps might look like in the near term.
Smorodskaya noted the practical barriers facing Dzyuba in moving to European leagues. He is no longer in his youth, and the current market shows limited appetite among European clubs for players from Russia. She expressed a personal preference for him to remain playing in Russia rather than pursuing a move abroad, underscoring the challenges that come with a transfer at this stage of his career.
Since wrapping up the previous season, Dzyuba has not appeared in the Russian Premier League. In February he joined Lokomotiv on a six‑month deal after a stint with Adana Demirspor in Turkey, a period that proved brief. His time abroad did not extend long enough to establish a lasting footprint in Turkish football, and his return to domestic competition was met with renewed attention from coaches and fans alike.
Back in the Russian league, Dzyuba made a strong impact, delivering six goals across four fixtures. His notable performances included a hat‑trick against Rostov and a double against Paris Nizhny Novgorod in the season’s closing round. These performances highlighted his continued eye for goal and his capacity to influence matches, even as the broader transfer market counts him among veteran players with enduring value for top-tier squads.
Alexander Tarkhanov, a former CSKA coach and long‑time strategist within Russian football, has weighed in on the contract dynamics surrounding Dzyuba. Tarkhanov spoke about the potential terms Lokomotiv might offer should the striker remain with the club, noting that his experience and scoring ability could still be leveraged to drive results in the domestic championship. The discussion reflects a broader question about how Lokomotiv balances financial considerations with the desire to maintain a competitive attack for the league and European qualification pathways.
As the season progresses, analysts and supporters alike continue to assess Dzyuba’s role within Lokomotiv and the squad’s broader tactical plan. The veteran forward’s status might influence not only matchday selections but also the club’s recruitment strategy for the coming windows. In summary, the dialogue surrounding Dzyuba centers on durability, domestic impact, and the nuanced choices clubs face when evaluating players with international experience who are still capable of delivering decisive moments in important fixtures.