Valery Karpin, the Rostov native who steers the Russian national team, reflected on a recent meeting with Artem Dzyuba, Lokomotiv Moscow’s main striker, during the Russian Premier League award ceremony that followed the 2022/23 season. The exchange was casual and cordial, focusing on wellbeing and mutual respect rather than headlines. “We exchange greetings, check how things are going, and that’s about it”, Karpin remarked. The interviewer pressed on whether there were deeper discussions about Dzyuba’s national team status, but Karpin suggested that the planned call was merely one of several factors that kept the door closed at that moment. The gist, he added, is that circumstances varied and a call simply didn’t materialize at that time. (citation: sports24)
Dzyuba’s club career took a turn after he parted ways with Zenit at the end of the previous season, joining the Turkish club Adana Demirspor. After a period abroad, the striker’s contract with Adana Demirspor ended, and in February he signed with Lokomotiv Moscow as a free agent. By May, Lokomotiv extended his deal through 2024, signaling the club’s ongoing faith in his abilities. (citation: sports24)
Upon returning to Russia’s top flight, Dzyuba hit the ground running, tallying eight goals and providing five assists across ten league appearances. He emerged as Lokomotiv’s leading scorer for the season, underscoring his continued value to the squad and to the league. (citation: sports24)
Meanwhile, Valery Karpin, who has been at the helm of Rostov in the past, addressed circulating rumors about potential moves involving Rostov captain Danil Glebov. The chatter linked Glebov with Spartak Moscow, but Karpin did not confirm any impending transfer plans, emphasizing that discussions about player futures are part of the game but do not always translate into immediate changes. (citation: sports24)