10. Anton Zabolotny (Sochi)
Position:
forward,
value:
€ 1.8 million (hereinafter, according to Transfermarkt).
2020/21 stats:
18 games, 4 goals, 2 assists
For Anton Zabolotny, the current season is not very successful so far.
Despite the high marks and trust from the head coach of the national team Stanislav Cherchesov, the footballer does not play regularly in the club.
Recently, he is increasingly losing the competition for a place at the base of Marko Dugandzic, as a result of all he appears on the field from the bench.
In comparison with the previous championship, the amount of playing time per match on average decreased from 66.9 to 61.6 minutes, which cannot please the striker.
Nevertheless, so far there is no reason to assume that Zabolotny can change the club in the summer.
Judging by the words of the management and coaches, Sochi is happy with the player, and under the current limit, Russian attackers are unlikely to be scattered about legionnaires.
Especially considering the fact that his performance has remained the same.
Anton continues to score on average in every third match, except that he assists his partners less often.
If he finished last season with six assists in 21 matches, then this year he has only two in 17.
9. Charles Caboret (Dynamo)
Position:
midfielder,
value:
€ 2 million
Statistics:
15 matches.
Kabore's prospects in the RPL seem dimmer than those of Zabolotny.
After head coach Sandro Schwartz came to the team, he dropped out of the starting lineup and only entered the field three times from the first minutes.
In addition, in February, the native of Burkina Faso will turn 33, which, along with the lack of a Russian passport, may become a stumbling block during negotiations on a new contract.
In a pandemic, Dynamo is unlikely to offer the midfielder to extend the agreement on the same terms, as a result of which there is a risk of repeating the story with Krasnodar.
Then Charles was dissatisfied with his salary and left the club, where he played since August 2015.
Apart from Dynamo, it is unlikely that anyone would want to invite a high-class, but aged and expensive footballer to the RPL.
The league leaders can be scared off by the figure in the passport, and the outsiders are unlikely to be able to satisfy the midfielder's financial appetites.
In this regard, it is highly likely that this season in Russia will be the last for Kabore.
8. Pavel Mamaev ("Rostov")
Position:
midfielder,
value:
€ 2 million
Statistics:
9 matches, 2 goals, 1 assist.
The situation with Mamaev is rather complicated.
On the one hand, the midfielder adapted well in Valery Karpin's team, and although he did not become its leader, he regularly brought benefits.
However, a serious injury ruined everything.
Pavel suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon and was forced to lie on the operating table, which is why he was eliminated before the end of the first part of the season.
At the moment, it is difficult to imagine when Mamaev will return to service and whether he will demonstrate the same level.
Considering that he is already 33 years old, any injury can, if not put an end to his career, then at least seriously affect the performances.
If Pavel is able to perform as well, then he will probably stay in Rostov.
Otherwise, in the summer he may be forced to look for a new club.
7. Andrey Mostovoy (Zenit)
Position:
midfielder
, value:
€ 3 million
Statistics:
22 matches, 2 goals, 2 assists.
The youngest member of the expiring player rating hardly needs to worry about his career.
23-year-old Mostovoy regularly appears on the field as part of Zenit and is called up to the Russian national team on an ongoing basis, which makes him a serious asset of the reigning champion of the country.
Given the current limit, it is difficult to imagine that Petersburgers would agree to let go of one of the most talented players in the club.
Surely in the near future he will be offered a new long-term contract, which will strengthen his position in the team.
6. Otman El-Kabir ("Ural")
Position:
midfielder
, value:
€ 3 million
Statistics:
11 matches, 1 goal, 3 assists.
In the summer, one of the leaders of the Urals can become a free agent.
Over the past two seasons, El-Kabir has not dropped below second place in the list of the best scorers of the Yekaterinburg team and is unlikely to lower the bar in the current one.
Yes, even if its indicators look a little more modest for now, there are reasons for this.
At the end of the last championship, he was injured, due to the consequences of which he missed four of the first five matches of the current one.
Nevertheless, there is no doubt that Ural will make every possible effort to retain its leader.
The only question is whether the Dutchman of Moroccan descent will try to realize himself at a higher level.
In recent years, Zenit and Dynamo have reported interest in the midfielder, and it is possible that in the summer he may have other options to continue his career.
5. Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow)
Position:
midfielder,
value:
€ 3.5 million
Statistics:
13 matches, 2 goals, 2 assists.
Alan Dzagoev joined CSKA in 2008 and during this time has become an integral part of the army team.
The midfielder remained loyal to the club, despite the interest from Real Madrid and Arsenal, receiving support in return in those moments when he was treated for numerous injuries.
In this regard, it is extremely difficult to imagine how a player will leave the red and blue after the first season in a long time, during which he did not receive a single serious injury.
Of course, things could change in the coming months.
But if Dzagoev remains healthy, he will certainly receive a new offer from CSKA.
The only question is under what conditions.
If you believe the media, at the moment Alan's fixed monthly salary is € 10 thousand, but this amount can be significantly increased due to various bonuses.
4. Sergey Petrov (Krasnodar)
Position:
defender,
value:
€ 4.5 million
Statistics:
12 matches, 2 goals, 1 transfer.
Also, so far there are no good reasons for Sergei Petrov's departure from Krasnodar.
In recent years, he has established himself as one of the best right-backs in the country, and this season he confidently won the competition against the experienced Igor Smolnikov.
The plans were confused by a hamstring injury sustained in the match against Rennes.
The footballer dropped out before the end of the year and was unable to take part in the first campaign of the southerners in the Champions League.
In January, Petrov turned 30, but this is clearly not a reason to write him off.
Over the past two championships, he has invariably been included in the list of 33 best footballers of the Russian championship, published by the RFU Executive Committee, and with a successful coincidence of circumstances will fall into the current one.
Krasnodar is unlikely to lose one of the best performers in its position, and even with a Russian passport.
3. Andrey Lunev (Zenit)
Role:
goalkeeper,
value:
€ 5 million
Statistics:
3 matches, 3 goals conceded.
For Lunev, the last year and a half have become one of the most difficult in his career.
In October 2019, he sustained a shoulder injury, and in June and July of the following year, a follower injured the pelvis and rectus muscle of his right thigh.
As a result, a total of 178 days out of football, only 11 appearances on the field over the past calendar year and the loss of a place at the base of Zenit and the Russian national team.
Taking into account the above problems and confident play in the “frame” of Mikhail Kerzhakov, the future of Lunev in “Zenith” could well be in question.
But apparently, the goalkeeper has no reason to worry.
Already in December, Sergey Semak returned the title of the first number to Andrey, and a successful performance in the rest of the season will surely bring him a new contract.
With all the advantages, at the end of January his replacement will turn 34, which does not allow him to count on him in the long term.
This is confirmed by the fact that the club did not offer a new agreement to Kerzhakov himself.
2. Sebastian Driussi (Zenit)
Position:
striker,
value:
€ 10 million
Statistics:
17 matches, 2 goals, 2 assists.
But if Lunev and Kerzhakov themselves are probably not averse to staying in St. Petersburg, then Sebastian Driussi may have a different opinion.
In December, the Argentinean publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the position in which he is being used in the team, and expressed a desire to return home as soon as possible.
In this regard, it is hard to believe that the forward will agree to extend the contract with Zenit.
To play in the position of a central striker, Driussi will have to oust either Artem Dziuba or Serdar Azmun from the roster, which seems unlikely under current conditions.
The Russian and the Iranian are the most productive pair of RPL forwards of the last two seasons and can repeat the achievement in this.
They already have 15 (11 + 4) and 13 (11 + 2) points on the “goal + pass” system, respectively.
For comparison, Sebastian has only 2 (1 + 1) assets.
1. Victor Klasson (Krasnodar)
Position:
midfielder
, value:
€ 11 million
Statistics:
20 matches, 6 goals, 4 assists.
Apparently, this season may be the last in Krasnodar's squad for Viktor Klasson.
As a source in Sweden told Match TV, at the moment the parties are not on the best terms, the reason for which was the situation with the contract.
The management of the “bulls” approached the Swede with a proposal to extend the agreement, but he refused and put the club in a difficult position.
Thus, the midfielder can already freely negotiate with other teams, and in the summer he can leave the camp of the RPL bronze medalist for free.
For Krasnodar, the loss of Klasson risks becoming a serious blow.
This season, the Swede leads the team in terms of assists (four) and ranks third in the goal + pass system.
He has ten points, only Remi Cabell (9 + 3) and Marcus Berg (11 + 3) have more.
Veterans
It is also worth recalling that at the end of the 2020/21 season, agreements expire for a number of veterans, who are still one of the brightest players in the RPL.
In addition to the experienced Kerzhakov, Sochi goalkeeper Soslan Dzhanaev can become a free agent.
In March, he will also celebrate his 34th birthday, but is unlikely to be left without proposals from the clubs.
Despite his age, he is still considered one of the strongest goalkeepers in the country and receives calls to the national team.
Traditionally, the list of players with expiring contracts includes Yuri Zhirkov.
In the summer, the 37-year-old veteran is likely to compete at Euro 2020, but whether he wants to continue his career after is unknown.
“Krasnodar” can leave its long-term captain Alexander Martynovich, and “Lokomotiv” - lose two representatives of the base at once.
We are talking about Vedran Chorluk and Vladislav Ignatiev, who have been an integral part of railway workers over the past years.
As for the performers of the attacking plan, Christian Noboa should become a free agent in the summer.
The 35-year-old Ecuadorian continues to perform at the highest level and with eight goals shares the third place in the race of the top scorers of the RPL of the 2020/21 season.
Berg has just one more accurate shot, whose contract is also coming to an end.
The contract expires with Evgeny Lutsenko.
In the last championship, the Arsenal forward set a championship record for head goals, but this year he missed more than 70 days due to injury and so far does not look so impressive.