Jesús Medina, a Paraguayan midfielder, has decided to leave CSKA Moscow and move to Spartak Moscow after a dispute with the club’s head coach Vladimir Fedotov. Reports from Match TV have circulated about the decision and the surrounding negotiations.
Sources close to the matter indicate that before Medina chose Spartak, he received a separate offer of €5 million from Lokomotiv Moscow, along with interest from several other unnamed clubs in the Russian Premier League. The discussions reportedly centered on the financial terms rather than a direct clash with the coaching staff, preserving the idea that the move was driven primarily by economic considerations rather than tactical or personal conflicts with the existing staff.
In early discussions of the transition, Match TV noted that Medina did not have an actual ongoing dispute with Fedotov’s coaching team, and the central issue during the negotiations remained the financial aspects of a potential transfer. Spartak reportedly maneuvered to secure his services by presenting a compelling financial package that satisfied the player and his representatives while meeting the club’s strategic goals for the season.
Spartak Moscow officially announced Medina as a member of the squad on July 10, adding that the club aimed to integrate him into the lineup without delay. The news was circulated by multiple outlets and quickly picked up by fans across social platforms as anticipation grew around how Medina would fit into Spartak’s tactical plans for the upcoming campaign.
According to journalist Ivan Karpov, who operates a Telegram channel with a reputation for following the club scene closely, Spartak intends to complete the transfer with an upfront payment of €6 million to CSKA and a further €1 million bonus tied to performance milestones. This structure underscores the club’s confidence in Medina’s impact on the team and its strategic revamp for the near term.
Medina’s journey to CSKA Moscow began with a free transfer from New York City FC in early 2022. During his time with CSKA, he appeared in 25 Russian Premier League matches in the previous season, contributing eight goals and six assists. The statistical record reflects a player capable of affecting the decisive moments in matches, adding both scoring and creative pressure from the midfield. His arrival in Moscow coincided with CSKA’s broader efforts to strengthen the middle of the park and provide depth behind the first-choice selection, and Medina quickly carved out a role within the squad’s attacking sequences and build-up play.
The move has drawn comparisons in the football world, with a former agent noting parallels between Medina’s transfer to Spartak and Artem Dzyuba’s experiences during his own career transitions. The comment points to the broader context of how big clubs in Russia approach mid-career moves for established players, weighing the balance between immediate impact and long-term strategic alignment. As with many high-profile league changes, the official line from the clubs emphasizes professional logistics, contract terms, and the mutual benefits of a fresh chapter for both Medina and Spartak, while fans and pundits assess how this swap might reshape the competitive dynamics within the league. The unfolding negotiations and subsequent sign-off signal Spartak’s intent to push for domestic success and stronger showings in European competition whenever the opportunities arise, leveraging Medina’s versatility and experience to enrich the squad’s attacking and transition phases.