Anzhi Makhachkala: Swoops for Kokorin and Denisov spell bigger ambitions for the Dagestani side

Alexander Kokorin

22-year-old Alexander Kokorin has been steadily making his name in Russia with Dynamo Moscow in the last few years, but last season, he really shot to fame. While only scoring 9 goals, his excellent approach play and skill saved Dynamo from what could have been an absolutely disastrous campaign, and in turn propelling himself to the top of many a clubs’ shopping lists.

Italian giants Roma were said to be interested, especially when Kokorin himself recently posted online a photo of himself in Rome, but like so many others in the past 18 months, he has fallen under Anzhi’s spell.

With a 19 million euro release clause in his contract, Anzhi have taken full advantage, and with personal terms seemingly agreed upon, it seems to be just a matter of time before Anzhi officially announce their new star signing. Add Kokorin into an attack which already includes Eto’o and Brazilian magician Willian, and a side that is starting to look capable of dominating Russian football for a number of years is starting to come together.

But for many Russian fans, the rate at which players are willing to make the switch to Anzhi is becoming distinctly alarming. Especially when you take into account that for at least another year, they won’t be rubbing shoulders with Europe’s elite in the Champions League.

For 90% of top players, just the fact of being stuck in the Europa League is enough to put them off making the move, but for Denisov, Kokorin and many others, the lure of even more money than what they were already earning has proven too big a temptation.

Anzhi’s pockets are never ending, and while they are taking full advantage of having that asset, they are heavily contributing to football becoming much less of a sport and just purely business, in an age where money like never before, is taking over our beloved sport.

That’s not to say Anzhi are breaking the law in any sense. They’re just taking advantage of what the law allows them to do, and in doing so, sooner or later trophies lay in wait. Competing in just the Europa League doesn’t seem quite fair for a team that is full of such rich pure talent, but success in the Russian Championship has to be a priority, and with the squad that they have at their disposal, gold medals have to be waiting just around the corner.

Zenit and CSKA may have something to say about that, but Anzhi’s power is looking even more menacing, but just how a club that one day had nothing and now suddenly everything, is infuriating just about every Russian football fan.

Whether that’s born out of jealousy or genuine concern for the sincerity of Russian football though, is a very debatable question.