ARRIVALS

Bruno Alves, Portugal

Premier League toppers, Zenit St. Petersburg, have strengthened their defense by purchasing Portuguese national team's defender Bruno Alves.

The 28-year-old FC Porto player moves to Russia for a huge sum of €23 million, Portuguese A Bola newspaper has reported on Tuesday.

Bruno Alves, who has 35 caps and five goals for his country, has played all four of Portuguese clashes at the FIFA World Cup.

Lukovic, Serbia

Despite being sent off in Serbia's opening 2010 World Cup match against Ghana, Aleksandar Lukovic, has swapped his Italian side Udinese for Zenit.

The St. Petersburg side, who are powered by gas giants Gazprom, have netted the 27-year-old defender for €7.5 million, Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport reports.

Spartak Moscow also wanted the player, but Zenit came up with a bigger proposal, beating their archrivals from the capital.

Lukovic was officially presented as the Saint Petersburg team player on Thursday, June 29. 

Asamoah Gyan, Ghana

Sovetsky Sport newspaper claims, the leader of Ghana’s national squad, who did a lot in helping his team reach the quarterfinals in South Africa, Asamoah Gyan, may join Rubin during summer break.

Asamoan Gyan (RIA Novosti / Grigoriy Sysoev, STF)

Kazan are ready to give away from €12 to €15 million for the 31-year-old attacker.

The footballer from French side Rennes has scored three goals in his five World Cup appearances, being named the Man of the Match in two games.

Grafite, Brazil

Rubin, who have just sold their tall striker Aleksandr Bukharov to Zenit, are also eyeing replacing him by Brazilian international Grafite.

The Wolfsburg player says he is eager to join to the Russian Champions and, according to Sport-Express newspaper, the transfer fee will be around €5 million.

The 31-year-old was part of the Brazilian team at the World Cup, but spent just five minutes on the pitch.

If the deal is signed, Grafite will become second Wolfsburg man joining Rubin during a month as the Kazan team have already grabbed another forward, Obafemi Martins, from the German team.

Elano, Brazil

Meanwhile, Grafite’s teammate, who played an a lot more significant role in his team in South Africa, Elano, is linked with a move to CSKA Moscow.

According to CNN Turk, the midfielder’s current club, Galatasaray, want €12 million for his transfer, but the Muscovites are so far ready to play €9 million.

Elano scored two goals in as many games in South Africa.

The 29-year-old player already has some experience of playing in the former Soviet Union as he spent two successful seasons in Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in 2005-07.

CSKA are not the only Russian Premier League side interested in the Brazilian’s transfer, as Rubin want him too.

The Kazan team are also offering €9 million to Galatasaray and, according to Sport-Express newspaper, are ready to pay the player a salary of €3.5 million per year.

McGeady, Republic of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland failed to make it to South Africa, but the possible transfer of Celtic winger Aiden McGeady to Spartak Moscow is also worth mentioning.

Earlier, the Red-and-Whites offered £8 million for the 24-year-old, but McGeady decided to try his skills in the English Premier league.

Aston Villa, Tottenham, Sunderland and Newcastle have expressed interest in the player’s services, but none of the clubs have come up with a specific offer.

So, as Sky Sports report, Spartak remains the only option for the Irishman if he, of course, decides to leave Celtic.

Vagner Love, Brazil

CSKA striker Vagner Love returned to Brazil on loan last summer, but was still unable to persuade coach Dunga to take him to the World Cup.

Now he is heading back to Russia, but Life Sport website claim it is not the Army Men, but Rubin he is going to play for.

The talks between the sides were long and difficult. The Muscovites wanted €25 million for their star, but in the end, the Kazan team are reported to have paid €15 million for the 26-year-old, who has scored 61 goals in 118 games for CSKA and 5 goals in 21 caps for Brazil.

Loskov, Russia

Russia also was not among the World Cup participants, and veteran Dmitry Loskov has not been capped for his country for several years now, but his comeback to Lokomotiv Moscow is making headlines in the local press.

The 36-year-old playmaker was one of the leading players in the Railway Boys’ squad for a whole decade from 1997–2007, leading them to two Russian Premier League titles and three wins in the Russian Cup.

He left Lokomotiv for Saturn Moscow Region due to conflict with manager Anatoly Byshovets in 2007, but has now returned to the team as a free agent.

”Loskov is an invaluable person to maintain the team spirit and traditions of the club. The contract with him will, most likely, be signed till January 1. Then we’ll decide whether maybe Dmitry wants to continue his playing career or switch to coaching,” Nikolay Naumov, Lokomotiv’s president, told Sovetsky Sport newspaper.

Loskov, who scored 95 goals in 276 games for Loko, may make his debut for his new/old club as soon as August 1 in a clash with Rostov.

DEPARTURES

Guilherme, Brazil

CSKA Moscow have failed to preserve young Brazilin talent Guilherme, who spent a successful year with the club on loan from Dinamo Kiev.

The Army Men did everything to acquire the player’s transfer, but could not agree on the price with the team from the Ukrainian capital.

”The deal fell through, and it was a surprise to me, because I’ve already brought my wife and daughter to Moscow. But I am calm and ready to return to Kiev to work till the end of my contract. I’m leaving Russia with a feeling I’ve done a good job. I am still very young. I have a long journey ahead of me. In Russia, I’ve have gained invaluable experience,” Guilherme told O Globo.

The 21-year-old has scored 5 goals in 12 games for CSKA this season.

Dmitry Gorshkov, RT