Published: 3 June, 2009, 12:12
Edited: 3 June, 2009, 12:12
Russian footballer of 2008, Yury Zhirkov, says he doesn’t want to sit on the bench, even for a club as big as Chelsea, Sport-Express newspaper reports.
”It's clear that we are talking about one of the strongest clubs in the world, which regularly performs at the highest level. Probably, I would’ve said "yes" to their proposition, but before doing so, I’d seriously weighed all the pros and cons. Chelsea has a very strong line-up, and this team needs a player who is able to withstand the tough competition. The idea of sitting on the bench and appearing on the field occasionally does not attract me, even at Chelsea,” the Russian star said.
Reports in the British and Russian media suggest Yury Zhirkov is on the brink of moving to Chelsea in a €22 million deal this summer.
“Moreover, I have a lot to lose, because CSKA are a very interesting team, which will compete in the Champions League this autumn,” Zhirkov added.
The midfielder joined CSKA Moscow back in 2004, and has never expressed a desire to leave the club, despite interest from such clubs like Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus. He has played 137 matches for the Army Men in the Russian Premier League, and scored 15 goals. Zhirkov has won the championship twice, and triumphed in the Russian Cup four times, including a win in the final against Rubin last Sunday. He was also victorious in the UEFA Cup in 2005.
“However, we are discussing the option, which does not currently exist. If a serious club really wants to see me in their squad, I’m ready to talk about it. In the meantime, I am concentrating on the next match for the national team [against Finland on June 10] – not clogging my head with other things,” he said.
Zhirkov was part of the Russian national squad that reached the semi-finals of Euro 2008 and was included in the Team of the Tournament. The 25-year-old was also among 30 players nominated for the Golden Ball 2008, awarded to the best footballer in Europe.