Cardiff City reportedly wanted to bring Russian World Cup hero Artem Dzyuba to the Premier League in the January transfer window.
Cardiff City wanted to sign Artem Dzyuba in the January transfer window, according to Russian football official Yuri Belous.
Dzyuba was one of the stars of the 2018 World Cup, scoring three goals on home soil as an unfancied Russian side stormed to the quarter-finals before losing on penalties to eventual runners-up Croatia.
The 30-year-old, a barrel-chested bull of a centre-forward, has also hit the net ten times this season for Zenit St Petersburg.
And, speaking to Championat, Belous has claimed that Cardiff offered £23 million to bring Dzyuba to South Wales though Zenit had no interest in cashing in on their influential striker.
“An agent from England came to me and asked about Artem Dzyuba. Cardiff were considering him,” the influential and well-connected Belous said.
“I spoke with Artem and he was ready to go to Premier League. But it was always unlikely because Zenit wouldn’t let him to leave before finding a replacement. Yes, Cardiff could offer €25m but money is not an issue for Zenit.”
Strong, lethal and hugely passionate, Dzyuba might have been the perfect centre-forward for a direct Cardiff team who rely heavily on crosses and set-pieces.
Speaking to the Express back in 2015, former Manchester United and Everton winger Andrei Kanchelskis claimed that Dzyuba, who stands at a towering 6ft 5ins, reminded him of none other than Peter Crouch thanks to his fearsome aerial presence.
But Cardiff boss Neil Warnock will instead be hoping Bobby Reid continues his recent resurgence.
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