Increasing numbers of European
club scouts are reported to be
trekking to the Czech Republic
to run the rule over the strapping
24-year-old Russian striker. For the
last 18 months he has been nothing
less than a chance-taking tornado,
winning his domestic league’s
Golden Boot with 24 goals last
season and continuing that trend
this term.
While his Bohemian club might
not have the prestige and honours
board of Prague giants Sparta and
Slavia, Mlada Boleslav have no
difficulty punching above their
weight thanks to his goals. The only
question now is whether he moves
on in the January transfer window.
He came through the youth
system at Russian side Krasnodar,
who allowed him to leave in July
2017, and recently made his full
debut for Russia against Scotland.Nikolay
KOMLICHENKO
MLADA BOLESLAV
Eldor SHOMURODOV
ROSTOV
Hopes are high on the banks of the
river Don for a first-ever Russian
title for Rostov in an especially open
championship race this season.
Bought from Bunyodkor in 2017,
the 24-year-old Uzbek striker
produced little of note in his first
two seasons, usually confined to the
bench and scoring just five goals.
But it’s a different story this term,having supplanted Iceland’s Bjorn
Sigurdarson as leader of the line.
Confident and sharp, he scored
a brilliant goal against Dynamo
Moscow in September, cushioning
a header to himself at the far post
and then volleying home from an
acute angle.
He also scored four times for his
country at this year’s Asian Cup.Nicolas
PALLOIS
NANTES
The skipper of the Ligue 1 high fliers
represents the very heart and soul
of the Stade de la Beaujoire outfit.
Up until quite recently the Gallic
media never tired of portraying the
32-year-old as an oafish destroyer
who would happily kick anything
that moved. These days, though,
no one seems to care about his
inelegant ways, preferring to laud
him for his granite physicality and
never-say-die spirit.
Previously with
Valenciennes, Laval,
Niort and Bordeaux,
he used to earn a
living as a carpenter
and supermarket
worker but was
recently called up
by France boss
Didier Deschamps
who said: “He’s a
warrior. I want to
see the fire he has
in his belly.”Laszlo
BENES
BORUSSIA
MONCHENGLADBACHIn just a few short months the 22-
year-old Slovak central midfielder
has gone from the fringes at
Borussia to a pivotal first-team role
for the Bundesliga frontrunners.
Now in his fourth campaign on
Gladbach’s books after joining from
Slovakia’s MSK Zilina in July 2016,
he played just 28 first-team minutes
last term and spent the second half
of the campaign on loan at second-
tier Holstein Kiel. In truth, all he
really needed was a break, and
it was an inspired choice by new
Gladbach coach Marco Rose to
make him a regular starter.
Without fuss and fanfare, he is
one of those visionary players who
knit things together. Equipped with
a great first touch, wide-angle vision
and a wonderful range of pass, he
is also strong in the tackle. If he
could add goalscoring to his wide
repertoire, “Laci” would be the
finished article.3
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