Dziuba's questionable Instagram post
The current champion of Russia "Zenith" went to the first training camp in the UAE with 27 people.
It is already known that in the United Arab Emirates the team will play four test matches: with the Latvian Riga (January 21), the Uzbek Pakhtakor, the Belarusian Shakhtar (both on the 24th) and Ural (on the 27th).
Meanwhile, the delegation did not include two leading players - goalkeeper Andrey Lunev and striker Artem Dziuba.
The media reported on Thursday that the captain of the Russian national team passed a dubious coronavirus test.
The next day, the club confirmed it.
Both are reported to "join the team later."
Saint Petersburg ✈️ Dubai #GazpromTrainingChargespic.twitter.com / bQB7GvtoiH
- FC Zenit ✨ (@zenit_spb) January 15, 2021
The media suggested that Dziuba could have contracted COVID-19 in Moscow at the beginning of the year.
So, "R-Sport" recalled the footballer's Instagram stories, based on which it can be assumed that on the night of January 4th-5th Artyom watched the semifinal game of the youth world ice hockey championship between the national teams of Russia and Canada in the capital's cafe " Dream".
The institution itself emphasized that the athlete visited him before the New Year, and not on the dates indicated.
No less discussion was caused by the publication on Instagram of another Zenit footballer Wendel.
The Brazilian posted a photo of the gold PlayStation 5 and IPhone 12, which were taken for him by IDesign Gold.
The post caused a mixed reaction.
For example, the famous actor and fan of St. Petersburg residents Mikhail Boyarsky called the player's behavior "stupidity bordering on idiocy."
“All these consoles and telephones are made of gold - from the lack of education and intelligence ... How can you explain to a person that bragging is generally indecent?
All the more expensive things.
He had just moved to a new club, but immediately began with a negative attitude towards himself.
What is it?
I do not approve of this behavior.
It's disgusting to me, "- quotes Boyarsky's words" Championship ".
Contradictory rumors
As for the work in the transfer market, Zenit is doing without newcomers so far.
At the same time, a lot of news is published in the foreign press about the interest of the Russian club in this or that football player.
Thus, several sources at once reported about the negotiations between the Petersburgers and the midfielder of the Brazilian Gremio Pepe.
The 23-year-old's profile position is the left flank of midfield, but he can also play on the right side and under the striker.
In the current season of the national championship, the young winger is showing good performance.
He has eight goals and four assists.
According to the latest information, Zenit was ready to interrupt Porto's proposal for Pepe, but the footballer himself does not want to move to Russia.
And the Italian edition Tuttosport reported about the interest of the Petersburgers in the midfielder and captain of Udinese Rodrigo de Paul.
Allegedly, blue-white-blue are following the Argentine along with several Italian clubs.
In the current Serie A draw, the 26-year-old player scored five points for performance (3 + 2).
At the same time, the authoritative portal Transfermarkt estimates it at € 35 million.
Also, according to Italian media, Zenit, along with Lokomotiv, is watching Fiorentina's striker Christian Cuame, whom the Florentines acquired from Genoa last year for € 11 million.
There were rumors about the possible loss of the reigning champion of the country.
In particular, Tuttomercatoweb wrote about the interest of Borussia Dortmund in striker Serdar Azmun.
Allegedly, the club from the northern capital estimates the Iranian, who turned 26 on January 1, at € 20 million.
But the possible departure of goalkeeper Alexander Vasyutin, which was reported by "Sport day by day", will not cause much surprise.
In the current season, the goalkeeper did not play a single match, despite Lunev's injury.
For playing practice, a 25-year-old footballer with experience of playing in Norway and Finland can go to another country from Northern Europe - Sweden.
According to local media reports, the Russian can rent a Djurgarden for a year, which in the last season of the national championship stopped a step away from medals.
Lull in the transfer market
Despite the large number of rumors, Zenit is unlikely to expect serious activity in the transfer market in winter.
The team dropped out of European cups, and the RPL is able to solve the problem of preserving gold with the existing squad.
Also, we must not forget that St. Petersburgers cannot declare new foreign football players for the national championship, since there are already eight legionnaires in the team's roster.
Thus, to add a newbie, you will have to get rid of one of the available performers.
Perhaps Sebastian Driussi will leave Russia, who at the end of last year openly expressed dissatisfaction with his position on the field.
In principle, Zenit needs to strengthen almost all lines.
So, in the center of defense are irreplaceable 31-year-olds Yaroslav Rakitskiy and Deyan Lovren.
If they are absent, the reigning champion begins to have serious problems.
For example, in the away match of the Champions League against Club Brugge, Sergei Semak had to throw young Danila Prokhin into the fight, and his players conceded three unanswered goals.
There is no replacement for Vyacheslav Karavaev on the right flank of the defense.
At the end of the year, this position was closed by the nominal midfielder Alexey Sutormin due to the injury of the defender of the Russian national team.
Also, Petersburgers are still in dire need of a forward.
In the line of attack of the team, the situation is the same as in the center of defense: Azmun and Dziuba play on an uncontested basis.
In addition, Artyom will turn 33 in August.
Surely, Semak will not refuse another defensive midfielder, since there is no adequate replacement for Magomed Ozdoev and Vilmar Barrios today, and the Russian is not having the best season.