Valery Gladilin, a former Spartak Moscow midfielder and longtime member of the club’s technical staff, offered a clear view on the team’s plans for the upcoming transfer window. His remarks were cited by vprognoze.ru, outlining a philosophy focused on internal development rather than hastily adding players from outside the squad.
According to Gladilin, Spartak already possesses a robust roster. His stance centers on strengthening the team by nurturing the players already in the ranks and ensuring harmony among the group. He emphasized that there are too many players who see themselves as the club’s leading figures, a situation that can create internal competition rather than unity. He noted that the team appears to operate with roughly 22 to 24 players who could reasonably stake a claim to prominent roles, a number he suggested might be more than enough for a balanced squad.
From Gladilin’s perspective, the priority is to secure the development and cohesion of the current line-up, including both domestic players and foreign squad members. The aim is not simply to inject new talent, but to refine and align the existing options so that the competition within the squad drives performance without creating friction. This approach, he argued, would help Spartak maintain a stable core while avoiding overstaffing that can complicate selection and morale.
Looking at recent performance, Spartak under Guillermo Abascal has accumulated a solid tally after 18 rounds in the Russian Premier League, securing 30 points and sitting in fifth place. The gap to the leader, Krasnodar, stood at eight points, with Zenit St. Petersburg trailing by six. While the team progressed to the Russian Cup playoff phase, the group also featured strong competition from Krasnodar and Dynamo Moscow. The dynamics of the league and cup campaigns reflect a season where strategic management of the squad matters as much as results on match day.
Meanwhile, the club announced a leadership change ahead of the new year. On December 22, Spartak confirmed that Tomas Amaral would take on the role of sports director. Amaral arrives from Benfica Lisbon, where he had been involved in scouting rather than serving as a sports director. His official start date in the new role was set for January 1, 2024, signaling a shift in the club’s sporting oversight aimed at sharpening talent identification, strategy, and long term planning for the squad and its development pathways.
Amaral’s appointment is framed as part of a broader effort to synchronize the club’s scouting and player development with on-field priorities. The move is expected to influence decisions around youth integration, the evaluation of domestic and international talent, and the balance between immediate needs and long term planning. Spartak’s management has signaled that the season will be guided by a plan that prioritizes maximizing the potential of the current group while maintaining flexibility to respond to unforeseen challenges across competitions.
In summary, Gladilin’s view centers on internal improvement and squad harmony rather than quick fixes. The club, navigating a competitive league and cup schedule, appears intent on leveraging the strengths of its homegrown players and international contributors alike. By focusing on the players already in the squad and aligning leadership with a coherent development strategy, Spartak aims to sustain progress and sharpen its competitive edge in the coming months, ensuring a unified, resilient team prepared to face the rigors of a demanding schedule.