Wolverhampton Wanderers reportedly scouted Artem Dzyuba as Russia beat Scotland in Euro 2020 qualifying – is he heading to the Premier League?
If reports from Rianfan are to be believed, Wolverhampton Wanderers want to sign Artem Dzyuba after watching the giant Russian striker smash Scotland into submission during Friday’s 2-1 Euro 2020 qualification victory at Hampden Park.
Nuno Espirito Santo certainly knows what this 6ft 5ins, battle-scarred battering ram is all about. Though it’s fair to say the Wolves coach won’t have particularly happy memories about a man who has six goals in five games for Russia in 2019 alone.
With 74 minutes on the clock during a Champions League group stage clash between Zenit St Petersburg and Valencia at the Gazprom Arena in November 2015, Dzyuba put the finishing touches on a flowing team move. Zenit carved through the Los Che defence like a blue tsunami before this most old-school of number nines tapped the ball into an empty net.
At the time, Nuno was Valencia’s embattled coach and the pressure was reaching intolerable levels after a miserable start to the 2014/15 season. As it transpired, that defeat in Russia was pretty much the final straw.
Just six days after Dzyuba’s decisive goal, Nuno was sacked, leaving the Mestalla under a heavy cloud with white handkerchiefs reigning down from the Mestalla stands.
Four years on, the Russian hit-man is still scoring goals for fun and Nuno has rebuilt his reputation after taking Wolves from the Championship to the Europa League in just two years in charge.
And, by the time January rolls around, could we see Dzyuba scoring goals for Nuno rather than against him?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
