Talaev Expresses Unreadiness to Recruit Artem Dzyuba in Baltika

Baltika head coach Andrey Talaev expressed his unpreparedness to recruit striker Artem Dzyuba, who is currently a free agent, into his squad. In an exclusive interview, Talaev was asked about the possibility of signing Dzyuba and answered firmly, "Dzyuba? No. Why? He's big, experienced and free."

Talaev explained that the attackers on his team must be able to carry out a high workload without the ball. "At 38 years old, that's impossible?" he asked, but he emphasized that the problem was not just age. He recounted a previous experience with another player, where there was a mismatch when a striker was unable to meet the physical demands required.

"We already had a similar problem with Agalarov. He came as the top scorer from Ufa, but was not ready to participate in the pressure we needed. I explained to him that he missed the whole pre-season, so in the autumn, he needs to adapt," said Talaev.

He added that attackers who are able to do a lot of physical work in the beginning will usually experience a decrease in productivity. "Hily's adaptation in the First League has paid off, and if we had bought him last summer, he would not have achieved the same results in the RPL," said Talaev.

This statement shows that even though Dzyuba has a high reputation, Baltika needs players who are able to meet the physical standards set by the coach.