Sardar Azmoun @ Zenit St Petersburg | 2019

[kian_khosh]

https://www.calciomercato.com/news/n...-simeone-42933

Napoli face some competition with Atletico Madrid also interested. Napoli however will not give up for the price demand.

I don't know the validity of the Atletico Madrid rumor but as long as he's guaranteed game time, it would be a splendid move, as he'll easily overtake the aging costa and partner with felix

[Leicester City]

I don't know the validity of the Atletico Madrid rumor but as long as he's guaranteed game time, it would be a splendid move, as he'll easily overtake the aging costa and partner with felix

Yeah, I agree. I have not seen anything about Atletico Madrid in the Spanish newspaper (besides Sevilla being interested in Azmoun) and the only Italian newspapers are saying that Atletico Madrid are interested/making bids. Same for the English rumors of EPL teams being interested in him, I have not seen one source besides yet again Italian newspapers making that claim.

Napoli need a striker with Mertens leaving (rumored Chelsea/Inter) and Milik being sold (most likely to Juventus), so they will fight tooth and nail to get his signature with a couple of other new editions as a they are going into a rebuilding phase under Gattuso.

[Farhad-7]

no its not. Its common in italy to refer to center forwards as "Rams" and "Bombers". It has nothing to do with his race.

http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/p6...l#.XsGhSxNKi-w

here is an article on italian football terminology

https://books.google.com/booksid=NZu...otball&f=false

here is an excerpt of just general football terminology. CF's with good physical qualities, height, strength are referred to as rams or battering rams. What the analyst notes is that while azmoun has the qualities of a ram, his mobility and ability to run into spave very well distinguishes him from many CFs. for example belotti of torino, kind of a classic 9, battering ram type CF. Azmoun's technique, speed, ability to stretch defenses while still giving a tall physical, sturdy presence distinguishes him from players like that.

I was joking...but thanks for the info.

[inarsenewetrust]

"Naples and Everton do they want me? Before answering the question, let me say one thing: I want to start the interview by addressing a thought to people who are suffering from Coronavirus. I offer my condolences to those who have lost loved ones. I would also like to thank the medical staff, from doctors to nurses, who are fighting for all of us. This pandemic is not a joke. Doctors are risking their lives every day, fighting hard, and in the first person, to eradicate the disease and help the population return to health. In all honesty, what they have done is really great and I hope they, like their families, receive special support. "

Azmoun then added: "As for me and the future, I want to emphasize that I am a Zenit player. My goal is to get back to my best training and resume the Russian championship: we would like to get back on the field as soon as possible, because we miss football so much. Personally, I admit that I don't like to say that one day I have an offer from one team and the next day from the other. I will not talk about my future until a final agreement has been reached. I am not looking for headlines or newspapers. If I can at least confirm or deny the interests received? There have always been rumors and news, I don't care what they write, I just do my job. I am a professional. Any proposals always make me happy, but they don't distract me. All ' is there a lot of talk about me abroad? I live a moment of serenity and concentration, I only think about returning to winning on the field. I don't really follow what is said abroad. If they wrote about me, though, does that mean something started moving? I repeat, currently I only think of Zenith. I have a contract with the club and it would not be ethical to talk about offers and the future. The decision will be made by the company. We haven't talked about it. I am not a 'seller' and I don't like to feed indiscretions. I have said it several times, I only speak when a contract is finalized. Gossip is always there, but I don't go after it. Since the beginning of my career, I have always thought only of playing. The future is unpredictable. I will accept what God will want for me.

- sardar himself on the rumors. Professional response as expected.

https://www.areanapoli.it/interviste...so_372216.html

[Medzdidz]

I agree completely , a very professional and mature response. He has certainly grown up as a person over the last couple of years and well done to him.
Also that is following the line that Zenit have always said , first we complete the season and we don’t talk about any transfers till it is complete, in or out. Azmoun isn’t doing much denying and we take from it what we can.

[Leicester City]

“Sportitalia - Azmoun disconnected from Milik: for Napoli he can play in multiple roles”

https://twitter.com/tuttonapoli/stat...01660531793921

Will be interesting what roles Azmoun would play for Napoli

[KasraKhan]

Mertens agrees to renew his contract with Napoli: https://www.theguardian.com/football...lsea-and-inter

Is this a bad sign for Napoli's interest in Sardar? I believe one of the reasons Napoli was interested in Sardar was Mertens's impending departure. However, Mertens is getting old (33 years old), and he isn't the target-striker that Sardar is. And they still may need a replacement for Milik.

[inarsenewetrust]

Mertens agrees to renew his contract with Napoli: https://www.theguardian.com/football...lsea-and-inter
I assume this may not be a good sign for Napoli's interest in Sardar.

I think it is good news actually.

Sardar is meant to be the replacement for milik. Mertens is already 33 but is still a very consistent performer, from wing and CF. It would be unrealistic for sardar to replace goals of both milik and mertens in his first season, lot of pressure. Mertens is a world class player, who has contributed 121 goals during his time in naples. To lose him and milik in one summer would really damage the ability of team to be competitive in europe, domestic play.

Plus as you mention they are totally different types of players. Mertens is a very short, dribbling type of CF or winger, with great shooting ability from outside the box. He does not offer a big aerial presence or focal point, plus at the age of 33 it is unlikely he will be a key player in the long term, although right now he is still.

Milik is extremely likely to depart, either to Juve or Atleti. He rejected the offer of a new deal already, and although he has had some good seasons his bad injury record and lack of mobility meant that gatusso usually preferred mertens to him, even if it meant playing mertens at CF.

Having mertens still there takes pressure off azmoun if he were to go.

[Leicester City]

https://sport.virgilio.it/non-solo-m...i-super-637491

Naples, the other negotiations

In short, a Napoli taken with a series of sensational operations that could make Gattuso's team even more competitive in view of the next season. In the meantime, we always follow with interest another player who ended up in the blue radars, the Iranian Azmoun of Zenit Saint Petersburg (born in 1995): according to what was reported by the market expert of Sportitalia, Alfredo Pedullà, and by the journalist-fan Carlo Alvino , De Laurentiis could go as high as € 50 million to buy his tag.

[EKBATAN]

Mertens resigned with Napoli this week. That shouldn't affect Azmoun signing...its Milik and Herving Lozano that need to leave to make room. Serie A is resuming soon and theyre set to finish by end of July

[Leicester City]

Mertens resigned with Napoli this week. That shouldn't affect Azmoun signing...its Milik and Herving Lozano that need to leave to make room. Serie A is resuming soon and theyre set to finish by end of July

Bro sell us Merih Demiral!!! (You guys don't need him, he is a trash/overrated player )

Edit: And he's also injured

[Leicester City]

Second interview with Sardar Azmoun

[Leicester City]

https://www.calciomercato.com/news/n...r-azmoun-77802

Ok, so apparently Napoli and ADL wanted Azmoun back in January but was not possible due to no vacancy for non-EU players.

[Babak agha]

Mertens resigned with Napoli this week. That shouldn't affect Azmoun signing...its Milik and Herving Lozano that need to leave to make room. Serie A is resuming soon and theyre set to finish by end of July

I read this and thought: wth, I just read that he extended his contract a couple of days ago. When did he resign?

It's the first time ever that I noticed how close resign and re-sign are but yet have opposite meanings :P

[Sly]

He said he also had played against Zlatan? When?