Eduard Spertsyan must ‘leave’ Krasnodar for a major European league if the opportunity arrives with Newcastle United reportedly taking a keen interest in the Armenia international.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s decade-long stranglehold over the Armenia Player of the Year award appears to be coming to a close. No one has picked up the gong more times than the Inter Milan veteran (10) but, after claiming the prize for himself at the end of 2022, Eduard Spertsyan appears ready to inscribe his own name into the history books.
Spertsyan scored 14 goals and set up 14 more for Krasnodar last season.
Form with caught the eye of Newcastle United; The Magpies sending scouts to watch the Russia-born 23-year-old run the show as Armenia thumped Wales 4-2 in their own backyard in June.
“If Spertsyan really has such an option, then, of course, he needs to leave for a stronger championship and club,” Aleksanr Mostovoi, who enjoyed spells in Portugal and La Liga after making his name in Russia, tells RB Sport.
“(Monaco’s Aleksandr) Golovin took a step forward at about that age. Why can Spertsyan not follow the same path? Spertsyan, of course, is a talented footballer. I think he would succeed in everything in Europe.”
Newcastle United could go for Eduard Spertsyan
Time will tell how much Krasnodar want for a player reportedly on Ajax’s radar.
Spertsyan is likely to be available for a fraction of the fee Newcastle were asked to stump up for James Maddison or Dominik Szoboszlai, however, two of Eddie Howe’s leading attacking midfield targets joining Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool instead for £40 million and £60 million respectively.
“Yes, he had a good last season but we (Russian clubs) don’t play in European competition. And who watches our league? If this interest is real, such offers cannot be refused,” adds former Tottenham striker Romain Pavlyuchenko, speaking to MetaRatings.
“I would advise Edward to go to Newcastle.
“(At Newcastle) he will play, it seems to me. I would do that.”
Sandro Tonali’s arrival from AC Milan adds an injection of serious quality into Newcastle’s engine room, though Howe may still want a more creative option to complement the energy of Tonali, Joe Willock, Joelinton and Sean Longstaff.
Khephren Thuram of Nice remains an option. Celta Vigo’s Gabri Veiga could still emerge as a priority target too; a £33 million release clause in his Celta Vigo contract.
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