Tag: Liverpool

Arsenal ‘closing in’ on transfer of Sardar Azmoun with the help of former Gunner Andrey Arshavin

  • 15 Jun 2020, 10:44

ARSENAL are reportedly in negotiations with Zenit Saint Petersburg over a deal to bring Sardar Azmoun to the Emirates.

Dubbed the “Iranian Lionel Messi”, the 25-year-old has previously attracted the interest of Liverpool as well as Celtic, and now the Gunners are said to be in for the forward.

Andrey Arshavin could help Arsenal sign Zenit Saint Petersburg striker Sardar Azmoun
Andrey Arshavin could help Arsenal sign Zenit Saint Petersburg striker Sardar Azmoun

According to Area Napoli, the North London giants have made contact with former fan favourite Andrey Arshavin over a move to sign Azmoun.

Arshavin is currently in charge of transfers at the Russian side, and it has been claimed that Arteta is hoping his friendship with his former team-mate could lead to the potential signing.

It has been stated that further talks between the two are planned as Arteta looks to sign a striker in the upcoming transfer window.

The report also adds that Arsenal are weighing up whether Azmoun would suit the Premier League.

Should they decide to press ahead with a move, Arshavin could help fast-track negotiations between the two clubs.

Along with Arsenal, it has been said that West Ham and Leicester are keeping tabs on the striker while the Italian club Napoli have been asking question recently but decided that the player is too expensive for the club budget.

Azmoun is a remarkable player by any standards. He is the only Iranian player who has yet to play a single minute for any Iranian club in the league. While still in the youth team of Sepahan Esfahan and on the brink of making his full debut in the Persian Gulf League, the Russian club Rubin Kazan offered Sepahan a relatively substantial amount to get his services.

Azmoun has scored 32 goals in 50 international for Team Melli. A remarkable feat for the youngster. He has already scored in the European Club competitions. Azmoun is a great header of the ball too, the type that the English football take a pride in.

Azmoun and the English Premiere League, will it work?

Sardar Azmoun scored a brilliant goal against Bayern Munich in the Champions League last night, his second in the competition after the one against Atletico Madrid in an earlier round. Sardar Azmoun is top scorer of Team Melli and a true potential of being one of the greatest Iranian player in the history like his idol Ali Daei. He has done his reputation a world of good by scoring against the 5 time European Champions to rekindle the calls and the pressure on him to join one of the big names of European football. Liverpool seems to be the main suitor.

Sardar Azmoun has many admirers not just Liverpool FC, Since Farhad Moshiri, the British-Iranian businessman has bought majority interest in Everton, he has also shown serious interest in his compatriot. Sardar Azmoun has many admirers in the Bundesliga as well.

Saying all that, the biggest mistake of Sardar’s career would be to move to the English Premiere league, which has been the graveyard of so many promising young players and famous players too.  Chances of a 21 years old Iranian forward breaking into a team in the premiere league is quite a long shot. Despite the global appeal of the English PL, it is not highly rated in terms in producing and nourishing talents and in tactical value. The English style of play depends on stamina and strong physical attributes of players. A player is judged upon much he runs in the field and how much he tackles. Individual talents and other attributes come distant second. Not many leagues or football styles are played in the old British style and not many players can adept to it. Even some established professional footballers from other leagues have struggled.

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Sardar Azmoun has many excellent attributes for a player at his age. His heading ability is second to none, he jumps high and he has no fear tackling defenders much stronger than him while going for headers. He has a fantastic ability in turning in small circles and beating defenders and leaving them chasing his shadow. Best of the lot , though is…He scores.

However, Azmoun comes from a football background where pace has never been its greatest attributes. The talent of the young man from Gonbad Kavos is undeniable but running for 90 minutes like he is expected to do in England, is not his strongest points. His stamina falls short of 90 minutes or beyond.

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Of course there is always hope that Sardar might hit the bullseyes since the English Football is slowly being transformed from that mad pace into a more tactical and beautiful easy on the eyes style of  the European coaches which the likes of Arsene Wenger , Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have applied. However, the chances for Sardar are not so great and bench-warming will probably kill his career or at least delay his exceptional progress for years. For him to break into the league where the likes of Radamel Falcao , the young Paul Pogba , Pedro , and currently Sturridge have struggled , he really has to show some exceptional ability and work hard which might be beyond the physical mental and emotional ability of the young man.

 FC Rostov is a very cozy place for him right now. Perhaps in a year or so , the Bundesliga would suite his style, but the lure of the Sterling might be too attractive to ignore but detrimental to his career.

Liverpool lining up move for Rostov & Team Melli Forward Sardar Azmoun

Liverpool are considering a January move for the FC Rostov forward Sardar Azmoun in response to Jürgen Klopp’s concerns over the loss of Danny Ings and Sadio Mané in the new year.

Azmoun has been linked with several Premier League clubs, Everton and Stoke City among them, having impressed for the Russian club since a controversial move from Rubin Kazan. Liverpool, with the newly appointed sporting director, Michael Edwards, leading their recruitment department, have monitored the 21-year-old this season and are considering an offer when the transfer window reopens.

The Iran international has carried his goalscoring form into Rostov’s Champions League campaign this season, playing an influential role in their progress through the qualifying rounds with goals against Anderlecht and Ajax and also scoring against Atlético Madrid in last week’s group game.

Azmoun joined Rostov in February 2015 on loan from Rubin Kazan, who appealed to the Court of Arbitration – and lost – when his current employers triggered what Kazan claimed was a non-existent buy-out clause this summer.

With Ings out for the season following knee surgery and Mané bound for the Africa Cup of Nations, Klopp has admitted that Liverpool require reinforcement in attack, specifically out wide, in January.