Zenit Saint Petersburg coach Sergey Semak pushed back on claims from journalist Ivan Karpov about the club blocking Wilmar Barrios from a move to Nottingham Forest, despite purported agreements. Semak argued that the reporter may be chasing attention or money, urging a direct check with Barrios to gauge his current mood and perspective on the situation.
Karpov had posted on Telegram that Nottingham Forest had made an offer of €4 million for Barrios in the 2023 summer window, but Zenit stood firm, reportedly valuing the midfielder at no less than €20 million. The club reportedly asked Barrios to remain with Zenit at least until after the Spartak match. According to Karpov, the player had grown frustrated with Zenit’s handling and was intent on leaving the club, a stance he said was developing in the wake of the transfer discussions.
Earlier, Zenit had also rejected a request related to overturning a red card issued to one of its players, confirming that the disciplinary decision would stand as issued. This sequence of events has fed ongoing speculation about Barrios’ future and the club’s transfer strategy, while Semak emphasized that the truth would emerge from direct dialogue with the player rather than through media reports.