In a transitional state: how RPL clubs strengthen at the start of the season

The RPL transfer window is just over a month away. The clubs are still behaving differently. Some, like Akhmat, have already made large—scale purchases, others are just warming up by making individual transfers, while others are completely taking a wait—and—see attitude - they are interested in possible newcomers and are bidding with other clubs. However, a number of high-profile transitions have already been completed, and some players have managed to enter the field in a new form for themselves.

Myrlind Daku

Transfer: from Rubin to Spartak

Cost: €11 million*

*Here and further — Transfermarkt data

So far, the loudest transfer of this window. The clubs have not officially announced him yet, but it's a matter of hours: the striker said goodbye to Rubin with tears in his eyes, remained out of the application for the cup game with Rodina, has already passed a medical examination and even chose the number 19, which he played under in almost all teams before coming to the RPL. The contract runs until 2029 with the possibility of extension for another season, a salary of €3.75 million per year and €1.5 million in lifting fees. Indirectly, the imminent arrival of Dacoux is hinted at by the departure of Levi Garcia on loan to Panathinaikos.

The Albanian will become the first representative of his country in the history of Spartak and the 11th in the list of the most expensive transfers of the club. And, more importantly, a long-awaited forward of this type in the attack of the red and white.

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Maxim Borisko

Transfer: from Baltika to CSKA

Cost: €2 million

Last season, this goalkeeper became the best player of Baltika and one of the main discoveries of the RPL. The "Army" discussed his transition for a month and a half in the summer. As a result, the transfer was processed only after the 1st round, in which CSKA met with Kaliningrad. According to the goalkeeper's agent Mariana Kashchelan, the 26-year-old football player had an option with the French Ligue 1 club, but after the interest of the Moscow club, they did not even consider other offers.

CSKA activated the €2 million buyout option contained in Borisko's contract with Baltika, and the Kaliningrad club could not prevent the transfer. Although head coach Andrey Talalaev emotionally stated on the eve of the deal: "If Borisko signs a contract with CSKA tomorrow, it's a headshot and a fight for survival."

While Igor Akinfeev is slowly fixing his health problems, Borisko will compete with Vladislav Torop for the number one spot. At the start of the season, Dmitry Igdisamov prefers a younger goalkeeper, but the newcomer performed well in the cup meeting with Lokomotiv — he beat off a penalty in the post-match series and brought victory.

Loris Muyokolo

Transfer: from Grenoble to Baltika

Cost: €1 million

The Baltics do their best not to notice the loss of Andrade, who left for Zenit. Back in early July, they bought Eduardo Anderson, a 25-year-old Panamanian, for €250,000 and Ilya Kirsch was discharged from Nizhny Novgorod for €700,000. Now they have not spared a million on Loris Muyokolo, making the Frenchman the fourth most expensive acquisition in history.

Muyokolo, like Anderson, is 25 years old. Over the past two seasons, he has been the main defender of Grenoble in the French second division, and even has experience playing in Ligue 1 — two matches and a total of 108 minutes in the 2020/21 and 2023/24 seasons. Given Andrei Talalaev's favorite scheme of three central defenders, there is definitely a place for Loris.

Dmitry Vasiliev

Transfer: from Zenit to Orenburg

Cost: €660 thousand.

The St. Petersburg graduate spent the previous season on loan from Sochi. Upon returning to Zenit, it immediately became clear that Vasiliev would not stay in the childhood team. At first, he appeared in one of the schemes for the possible transfer of Artyom Karpukas from Lokomotiv — the St. Petersburg club was ready to exchange players with an additional payment of € 4 million. But the Moscow club rejected such conditions. A little later, Dynamo Makhachkala announced their interest in the midfielder. However, Orenburg turned out to be more efficient than others, having signed a contract with a 22-year-old player in the first days of August.

Vasiliev had previously been an Orenburg football player — in 2022, when the team played in the First League, he appeared on the field in five meetings. Now Ildar Akhmetzyanov is returning to the team as an experienced player capable of strengthening the middle line.

Zhakhongir Urozov

Transfer: from Dynamo (Samarkand) to Rubin

Rent

Urozov is left—handed, and this is an important nuance for Rubin's head coach Frank Artiga, who noted that it was important for him to have left-footed players in the squad. Before Urozov's arrival, only Konstantin Nizhegorodov was like that in the center of defense. In addition, Jahongir has the experience of big matches, because he is a participant in the 2026 World Cup. He spent a quarter of an hour at the tournament against Colombia and came out from the first minutes with DR Congo in the last round of the group stage.

The 22-year—old tall (190 cm tall) central defender will be in Kazan until the end of the year. According to Sport24, Rubin will pay 100 thousand euros for the lease. In addition, the contract has a buyout option for 700,000 euros, which will become mandatory if Urozov participates in at least half of the official matches.

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Evgeny Latyshonok

Transfer: from Nizhny Novgorod to Baltika

Rent

Maxim Borisko's place was not empty for long — the Baltiytsy quickly organized the transfer of their former goalkeeper. For the Latvian, this is a chance to return to the elite level after 13 matches (4 in the RPL and 9 in the Russian Cup) last season for Zenit and losing his place at the base. Now Evgeny is unconditionally the first choice for the goalkeeper position for Andrey Talalaev — in the second round he started against Dynamo.

The Latvian did not transfer to Baltika directly from Zenit. Nizhny Novgorod became the transit club, which bought the goalkeeper for € 1.1 million and only then leased him further. Moreover, both transitions took place at nine o'clock.

CSKA wants a defender and a forward, Zenit wants Batrakov.

And a little bit about the main rumors of the beginning of August.

— Zenit chased Brazilian Danilo from Botafogo for a month, but in the end the player refused to transfer to the RPL. Now the blue-white-Blues have a new target — Hercules from Fluminense. The Transfermarkt portal estimates the defensive midfielder at €15 million. According to the Brazilian Globo resource, Flu is at a crossroads: it does not want to sell a football player, but it is experiencing financial problems.

— A year ago, Spartak, Krasnodar and Zenit were interested in Argentine Gaston Martirena, but Racing set the price too high — €10 million. Now CSKA has turned to the candidacy of the right defender. The Red and Blue are already in active contact with Racing and are ready to include Ramiro di Luciano in the deal. The Army team is also interested in the extreme defender Ilya Rozhkov from Rubin.

— After the termination of negotiations on Juan from Goztepe, CSKA remains in search of a striker. According to Persian Soccer, the "army" are monitoring the former Inter and Porto player, as well as the forward of the Iranian national team, Mehdi Taremi. At the end of the cup match with Lokomotiv, Dmitry Igdisamov confirmed the information about the search for a striker: "This is the competence of the sports unit, I don't go there. If we don't find anyone, we will work with Luciano, Musaev and Voronov."

— Zenit does not give up trying to sign Artyom Karpukas and is eyeing Alexei Batrakov. Petersburgers are ready to pay €6 million plus bonuses for Artyom. Alexey's compensation amounts to € 20 million, but applies only to clubs from the top 5 European championships, so Zenit will probably be asked for more. Lokomotiv denies all rumors about the possible departure of their midfielders.

— Yuri Gorshkov, instead of returning to Krylia Sovetov, who were close to renting a defender, may end up in Nizhny Novgorod. Zenit will not interfere with the transfer, so Nizhny Novgorod residents are ready to immediately buy out the player.