Vladimir Ponomarev, former CSKA Moscow defender, shared his reservations about Spartak Moscow’s recent move for Costa Rican striker Manfred Ugalde, who arrived from Twente. His remarks offer a candid assessment of the transfer landscape surrounding the capital club, as reported by Euro-Football.Ru.
Ponomarev believes Spartak may have overreached with the deal. He suggested that only a club of Zenit’s stature might justify a transfer at such a high price, while Ugalde himself remains relatively under the radar on the international stage. The price tag around five million euros, according to his assessment, did not reflect a breakthrough talent. He emphasized that Ugalde has not yet established himself as a transformative player in European football.
The club agreed to a contract spanning four and a half years, and the forward will wear the number nine shirt. Spartak reportedly paid thirteen million euros plus an additional two million euros in bonuses to secure the player’s services.
In the current season with Twente, Ugalde appeared in twenty five matches across all competitions, contributing nine goals and seven assists. On the international scene, he has earned six caps for Costa Rica, scoring once for his country.
Spartak’s campaign in the Russian Premier League extended over eighteen weeks, placing the team fifth with thirty points. Krasnodar leads the table with thirty eight points. The league schedule resumes in March after the winter break, and Spartak will travel to St. Petersburg to face Zenit in the upcoming fixture after a tense result in the nineteenth round.
In a broader view, the discussion around this signing reflects ongoing debates about the pace at which clubs in the league are willing to invest in young talent from abroad, and how such investments translate into immediate results on the pitch. While some observers may view the move as a bold statement, others urge patience and a measured assessment of Ugalde’s adaptation to the domestic league and its pace.