The former Dynamo Moscow standout and Russian national team forward Dmitry Bulykin spoke with socialbites.ca about the winter happenings in Russian football, highlighting the situation surrounding a notable 25-year-old Zenit St. Petersburg defender. He believes that the transfer of Danil Krugovoy to CSKA Moscow stands out as the loudest move in the current transfer window, drawing attention to the mechanics and timing that shape these high-profile moves within the league.
Bulykin emphasized that for such talks to translate into action, clubs must negotiate in good faith to ensure the player does not spend the season sidelined. He pointed to the broader risk in football where unresolved negotiations can leave players in limbo, harming the clubs involved and the players themselves who miss crucial playing time. In his view, a quick and clear agreement benefits the season and helps maintain competitive balance across the league.
“If we consider the winter transfer as the standout move, Krugovoy to CSKA is a strong candidate. He has not yet been able to depart Zenit and faced a six-month stint with Zenit-2, a situation that many observers find difficult to justify by football norms. The clubs must reach an understanding so the player can compete, but until that happens, both sides bear the consequences. One club loses by not selling, while the other risks bringing in a player at a lower level in the summer, and the player himself loses six months of playing time,” Bulykin remarked, underscoring the broader frustration with such bottlenecks in Russian football.
On January 17, CSKA confirmed the signing of Krugovoy on a four-year contract. The defender, who has been with Zenit in the latter part of the 2023/24 season, would move to Moscow as a free agent once his Zenit contract expires. Following the formal announcement, Krugovoy transitioned to Zenit-2 and began training with the squad, preparing for the next phase of his career.
Krugovoy has been part of Zenit since 2019, having progressed through the club’s ranks after a spell with Ufa following an initial stint with the youth setup that laid the foundation for his professional development. His trajectory highlights the path of a rising defender within Russian football and the often intricate negotiations that accompany mid-season moves among top-tier teams.