The list of clubs interested in Russian Captain Andrei Arshavin surely increased last night following a superb display in the emphatic 2-0 Group D win over Sweden which booked their place in the quarter-finals. The impact made by the 27-year-old cannot be overestimated as his first appearance at Euro 2008 turned an average looking Russian outfit into potential contenders as they ripped apart a solid Swedish side time and time again. He was ably assisted by the highly-rated prolific Roman Pavlyuchenko who scored his 2nd goal of the tournament.
The pair are attracting interest from both the Premier League and the SPL and their chances of big money moves will have only been boosted by this showing. Arshavin will command a transfer fee of at least £12M according to reports whilst Pavlyuchenko is reportedly available for a bargain £6M which surely will rise if he continues to perform like this.
Arshavin missed the opening 2 Euro 2008 matches through suspension as Russia were thrashed 4-1 by Spain and struggled to a narrow win over the Greeks. However, his appearance has given his nation a great chance of progressing even further in the competition as his creativity and goal scoring ability was there for all his many potential suitors to see. His record of 11 goals in 35 internationals from midfield is an excellent return as is his club record of 47 League goals in 217 appearances for Zenit St Petersburg. He also played a pivotal role in the club’s Uefa Cup success to prove he can perform on both the international and European stage rather than just domestically. Once Russia bow out of the tournament expect the battle for his signature to intensify dramatically.
Pavlyuchenko may not have drawn as much attention as Arshavin but his reputation is increasing with every Euro 2008 match. The 26-year-old has a total of 67 goals in 135 League appearances for his club side Spartak Moscow. He’s also finished top scorer domestically for the past 2 seasons. He’s scored more goals than the £18M rated Brazilian Jo but would reportedly cost a 3rd of the price. The Spartak forward has now scored against both the Swedes and the Spanish at Euro 2008 and has a record of 8 goals in 20 appearances at international level which includes 2 goals in the European qualifying win over England. More performances like last night will surely increase interest in the striker and clubs would be wise to make their move sooner rather than later as his price will surely sky rocket.
So would you like to see Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko at your club? How impressed were you by the Russian pair last night? So do you think the Russians would suit the physical nature of the Premier League or would struggle? Let’s hear your views.