Football Season Guide

Lokomotiv Moscow had an ambivalent previous season in which they were positively underwhelming in the league for the most part but then finished the campaign with a trophy and a place in the Europa League after claiming the Cup. Yuri Semin was given something of a free pass after inheriting a messy squad last season but the club legend knows that expectations are higher this time around and Loko need to be closer to the top places. The club have done some decent transfer business already in turning the loans of Igor Denisov and Solomon Kvirkvelia into permanent deals while getting Ari on another loan agreement. Nikita Medvedev has been signed from Rostov and may well prove a genius transfer after the young goalie set a new record for the league of consecutive games without conceding earlier this year. He is clearly talented and, while he may not upstage Guilherme immediately, he could well be a big player in the years to come. However, there are still yawning gaps in this Loko side, especially at full-back, where the experienced and much-liked pair of Roman Shishkin and Renat Yanbaev have both left. There are issues at the heart of defence too as stalwart Vedran Corluka will be sidelined in the early months of the season and he leaves a massive gap to be filled. There are lack of too many options on the wings too and Semin will hope for more activity in the coming weeks from the Railwaymen. Lokomotiv Moscow have the look of a pretty decent side overall but do not look like challengers for European places just yet and will need more depth in the squad.