Alexander Sobolev, the Russian striker for Spartak Moscow, faced a fine after law enforcement cited his Gelendvagen for tinted side windows. The information came through the Telegram channel Puree, which reported the incident occurred on July 2. The violation involved thick black film on the side windows, leading to a 500 ruble penalty. Sobolev was warned that he must remove the tint, or risk a 15-day arrest at a later date.
Media outlets later tied the tinting incident to ongoing transfer discussions involving Spartak Moscow and Zenit St. Petersburg. Ivan Karpov, a journalist following the case, suggested that Spartak might part with Sobolev for around 30 million euros. Zenit, however, did not appear inclined to meet that valuation. On July 9, RIA Novosti reported that Sobolev had accepted the offer under consideration, with transfer terms expected to be finalized within a few days if both clubs agreed. These reports underscored the accelerating pace of negotiations amid a busy summer transfer window.
Sobolev has been with Spartak Moscow since 2020. Across his time with the club, he has appeared in 139 games, contributing 58 goals and 32 assists. His current contract runs through the summer of 2026. In the most recent Russian Premier League season, he played 27 league matches and scored five goals, delivering consistent offense for the team. The evolving transfer chatter added another layer of anticipation around his future, as both clubs weigh competitive needs and financial considerations in the market.
Earlier in the offseason, Sobolev was among several names linked with a possible move from Spartak to Zenit, a rumor that circulated quickly across multiple outlets. While fan and analyst discussions intensified the speculation, the official status of any transfer remained unresolved as negotiations continued to unfold. The tinting incident and the transfer talk together created a narrative arc around Sobolev that reflected the broader dynamics of Russian football transfers during the current period, where player movement and regulatory matters intersect in ways that capture public attention.