Everton and Leicester City have joined a host of Premier League and European clubs watching Dinamo Moscow ace Arsen Zakharyan ahead of the January transfer window, as reported by TEAMtalk.
If Russia were in the midst of a so-called ‘Golden Generation’ in the late-2000s – as the mesmerising Andrey Arshavin cast a spell over European football – how would you describe the current crop?
Certainly not gold. Bronze might be pushing it too.
Russia were one of the big disappointments at Euro 2020, finishing bottom of their group. Furthermore, with ten of their 23-man squad aged 30 or older, Russia had one of the most elderly squads in the entire tournament.
The rapid rise of 18-year-old wonder kid Zakharyan, then, should warm the cockles of everyone from Moscow to Murmansk.
Everton and Leicester eye Arsen Zakharyan
According to TEAMtalk, scouts working on behalf of Everton, Leicester City, Brighton and Brentford have been left impressed by a teenage playmaker who has produced six assists and two goals in 13 league games for Dinamo Moscow this season.
Manchester City, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Roma, Atletico and Real Madrid are understood to be interested as well.
He’s talented, then, young Zakharyan.
Vladimir Korolyov, Zakharyan’s former coach at Krylia Sovetov Samara, believes there’s a touch of the Antoine Griezmanns about a forward who already has four caps for the Russian national team before the age of 19.
Everton director Marcel Brands is famed for unearthing diamonds in the rough such as Zakharyan, while Leicester have a coach in Brendan Rodgers renowned for his youth development skills.
Zakharyan, however, opted to stay at Dinamo Moscow when a host of Bundesliga clubs came calling before and it remains to be seen whether he sees things differently now (Sport24).
Everton and Leicester supporters please note: the fleet-footed teenager has also been compared to a young Henrikh Mkhitaryan by his father.
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