MOSCOW, August 5 (R-Sport) – Russian football club Dynamo Moscow are interested in signing Russia captain Igor Denisov, who appears set to quit Anzhi Makachkala without playing a game, Dynamo’s vice-president Gennady Solovyov said Monday.
The central midfielder signed for Anzhi in June but has walked out on the big-spending Caucasus club to return home to St. Petersburg, a source with knowledge of the situation has told R-Sport.
Denisov has reportedly quarreled with Anzhi’s star striker Samuel Eto’o and midfielder Lassana Diarra.
“Obviously it would be good if we could acquire him,” Dynamo’s Solovyov told the Sport Express newspaper. “Denisov is one of the best, if not the best Russian player. To have him in a team is a big stroke of luck, but I don’t know if he’ll come to Dynamo.”
Denisov’s situation at Anzhi appears fluid - the club’s chairman said Friday he had not been released and was in fact not playing because he was injured. Despite that, an R-Sport source has confirmed Denisov has arranged private training sessions to keep him fit for Russia’s World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland later this month.
Just a year ago, Denisov seemed one of the most stable players at three-time Russian champions Zenit St. Petersburg as he entered his 11th season with the team.
He then argued with Zenit management over pay and was dropped to the reserves before leaving for Anzhi at the end of the season.
Denisov has 37 caps for Russia and has captained the national side since Fabio Capello took over as manager last year.
