While Andrei Arshavin may be out of reach for Newcastle United, another Russian has also been playing brilliantly at Euro 2008, and we hope Newcastle will bid for left-wing-back Yuriy Zhirkov
Yuriy Zhirkov - can play left back or left wing
Yuriy is the player most fans will know for his exciting attacking forays down the Russian left wing.
Quite honestly, this boy looks made to measure for a Kevin Keegan side, and is probably the best left-back at the Euro 2008 championships.
He can play left back or left wing, so if we got him we could sell Damien Duff, who we feel will be leaving the club before the end of August in any case.
His goal against Hamburger SV in the UEFA Champions League of 2006-07 was chosen as best goal of the competition by the UEFA Magazine “Goal”.
Zhirkov looks a terrific player, and just 24 years old, and his great creativity, skill and speed make him one of CSKA Moscow’s and Russia’s most prized football assets.
Yuriy is known as The Russian Ronaldinho, for his dribbling skills and audacity on the field.
He is also a very hard working player as we have seen with the Russian side, who have left their old militaristic style of the 1970’s behind them, and now play wonderful open and attacking play under their brilliant Dutch coach Guus Hiddink.
We wonder if Russia will try to keep Hiddink as coach, after their great success over the last two years , where they have qualified ahead of England in the group stages of Euro 2008, and are now in the semi-finals and could well win the whole thing.
Zhirkov was born in Tambov, Russia, and turns just 25 years old in August, and would be a terrific acquisition for Newcastle.
And when we have one Russian at the club, we’ll be in a much better position to attract some of their other players , who have looked so very talented at Euro 2008.
Yuuriy has played for CSKA Moscow 110 times with 11 goals , and has 23 caps for his country.
Comments welcome.
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66 responses so far ↓
1 WADDLE // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:21
Wall virginity. haha i am so cool!!
2 WADDLE // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:21
I just heard from a mate that chopra is close to agreeing a deal. shocking.
3 NUFCAl // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:21
Wall virginity…I would be happy to see this bloke on the left hand side, because Zog’s got an awful attitude and work rate. Got the feeling a few more clubs are going to be after him and his price will be pretty high after the tournament he’s had.
4 Nev // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:22
i would like to think so … but i doubt KK will rate him … “too old and no prem experience”
5 broon ale // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:23
is this the right picture of him? where are his eyes? he looks like a demon
6 broon ale // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:24
too old! he is 24,,
i must be a veteran and i am only 25.
7 The Entertainers // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:24
He looked a great player, but does this story have any credable source?
Or are we just hoping……….
8 YongMalaysia // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:25
yes, he is good, let get him now. Keep Enrique but sell Duff and N’Zogbia with good value. Add the money to buy some other good players.
9 Hadji // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:26
Zhirkov would take the primat of the best LB in EPL in just 1 season,he’s better than Ashley Cole if you ask me.
10 Graeme // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:27
Far, far better than Duffer. If the duffster goes then this guy would be an excellent replacement.
With Enrique backing him up, we would actually be able to attack down BOTH wings for a change!!
11 broon ale // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:30
better photo ed!
the previous one was weird. he looked like an extra from the evil dead.
still no eyes though.
12 Davies // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:31
Sign him today. I bet Tom Toon will have a heart attack.
13 leavy // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:31
hey a little off topic but super shay has come out and said he wants too stay here for life
personally im delighted as he is without doubt the premierships most consistent goalkeeper/
14 Beattie // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:31
FFS “wall virginity” get a grip lad.
agreed, it would be an excellent replacement for Duff.
and with him signed, a certain other russian might be slightly more inclined this way
15 Gunnar/Iceland // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:33
Would be a great asset. But have we been linked with him? Since I’ve heard nothing about the club keeping the tabs on this player I think this is a pure fantasy.
16 Tony // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:34
Having no premiership experience only really counts towards players who are light weight, i.e. Arshavin. Amazing player but very light weight so i think he would be better suited to la liga. However Zhirkov is definately not light weight and has the pace and skill to get himself out of any problem. I feel a bid of around £8m-£10m would be enough to get CSKA to start talking. And too old at 24 that is pure nonsense considering most players won’t hit their prime until about 26 and this usually carries through until at least the age of 30!
17 broon ale // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:34
surely his club will want silly money for him.
18 51times // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:36
Would be better on the wing than at LB.
19 broon ale // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:38
lennon on the right. charlie on the left. butt and aimar in the middle. owen and viduka up front.
lovely jubly
20 Tony // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:41
Doubt very much they would want silly money as CSKA are only a relatively small club now (compared to the power of Zennit, Spartak Moscow), they used to once be the big club in Russia but lack of funds has seen them slip so he would most likely be available at a decent price to free up funds for a few players to add to their squad.
21 WADDLE // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:44
CHOPRA HAS INDEED SIGNED!
22 CRAIGG // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:45
I dont think he would be bought as a LB, As he isnt great defensively but as a winger opposite Lennon…Amazing
23 broon ale // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:49
russia is a very cash rich country, they pay big wages and have players on large contracts, therefore meaning they are in a posistion of power when it comes to transfer fee’s they can demand.
hence the silly money they are asking for JO off man city.
24 Punk Skunk // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:49
Let’s have a whip round!..
25 faustino // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:50
F
26 faustino // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:51
Can he not play on the wing rather than wing-back?
27 ToonKing // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:51
would be absolutely delighted with Zhirkov, but this is just us hoping………….
28 Punk Skunk // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:52
Tony, Arshavin is a chunky monkey mate, certainly not lightweight bro’…Was Pedro lightweight?..He was way smaller than Arshavin!..
29 valle // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:53
First of all, this is just guessing, we havnt been linked with him at all and 2nd seems like people are unsure whether he is best at left back or left wing.
30 faustino // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:55
Nope both 5 foot 8.
31 Punk Skunk // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:55
He’s a left back or you could say a left wing-back!..
32 Punk Skunk // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:56
Faustino, not in height, in bulk!..
33 51times // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:58
valle - he’s a wingback, usually wingbacks can play both fullback and winger too.
34 faustino // Jun 24, 2008 at 12:00
Oh sorry…realsitically though if your 5 foot 8 and a professional footballer with pace and dribbling skills a plenty [also needs mentioning that Pedro was one of the best tacklers I've ever seen!]there can’t be that much weight difference between you.
Mute point though, Juninho barely existed size wise and still tore holes out of every Prem defense.
35 shearer // Jun 24, 2008 at 12:01
Too old? pleb! for one thing hes not as old as richard dunne who keegan wanted so you cant say hes not a keegan player on that score and secondly, anyone who spends more time wreaking havoc in the oppositions half than defending in his own is definitely a keegan player haha
36 Nick Dryden // Jun 24, 2008 at 12:02
I’m with you Ed,
We should be after as many Russuians as possible with the obvious standouts of Arshavin, Pavluychenko and Zhirkov. Being linked with lennon, Dawson and other spurs rejects, Ashley’s pal Paul kemsley has lined up for us, is so depressing.
37 valle // Jun 24, 2008 at 12:03
Im at the point where just about any signing that shows a bit of ambition will do, nothing much just a bit better than what we already got, all this guessing and hoping are killing me.
Who could be our playmaker btw?… If VDV, Arsharvin and Diego are all out of reach?… Im not sure i agree with Aimar.
38 Punk Skunk // Jun 24, 2008 at 12:04
Pedro was the GREATEST mate, excellent tackler, like you say, remember that tackle/lob goal v brighton?..Arshavin defo has Pedro’s shimmy, but i still reckon he was lighter, therefore a bit quicker from standstill…How we need another Pedro!..
39 valle // Jun 24, 2008 at 12:05
If Michael Dawson signed it would spell disaster, cant see why this would happen, he is nowhere near as good as Taylor or Faye.
40 Leo // Jun 24, 2008 at 12:09
unlikely but would put a big grin on my face 4 sure
41 Punk Skunk // Jun 24, 2008 at 12:09
Valle, i’d just buy a few playmakers & for not a lot of cash, Aimar could be one of ‘em for me…But not as mainman!..
…We NEED a NEW MIDFIELD!..
…Ho’way KK!..
42 NUFCAl // Jun 24, 2008 at 12:09
Bloody hell Beattie, we’re never going to get Arshavin now, we fannied around and missed our chance.
Think someone else needs to get a grip tbh.
43 Spyro // Jun 24, 2008 at 12:10
this guy is pure class
44 xfer // Jun 24, 2008 at 12:22
He is at least better than 2/3 of our current squad. Need me to say more?
45 geordiegraham // Jun 24, 2008 at 12:55
wots this ur sayin about chopra
46 Ross // Jun 24, 2008 at 13:00
WADDLE there is no way we are signing chopra mate.
47 dacvid toon // Jun 24, 2008 at 13:05
where this tory about chopracome from.and we shoud be ver interested in zhirkov,arshavin,pavluchinko and also the captain semak.he,s been outstanding in the holding midfield role
48 Hanzowen // Jun 24, 2008 at 13:17
am fine with this idea. hopefully we’d sign him up & then sell those Duff & Smith.
49 Tom_Toon // Jun 24, 2008 at 13:36
Why make up stories.
To clear it up he is a left winger.
50 Geordie Nick // Jun 24, 2008 at 13:53
this is starting to get on my nerves now, we havent even been linked with this bloke once so wats the point of this story, we already have enough to read about players we are apparetnly pursuing , we dont need to read stories with no relevance at all, can we stick to players we actually may be interested in
51 Kaler // Jun 24, 2008 at 13:59
He is agreat player but I could write an article on kaka and say how good he would be at the toon, doesn’t mean we have a chance of signing him. Granted, getting Zhirkov in black and white is more realistic, but this is still just fantasy and guess work, we’ve heard nothing that suggests we’re even looking at this guy, not even from the sun or NOTW or any of the craprags.
If we did sign him i’d have him playing in front of Enrique with the two overlapping, Beye and Milner (or Lennon) doing the same on the right.
52 浪å // Jun 24, 2008 at 14:00
My god.
I thought we are being linked to zhirkov when i read the topic, of coz i was happy.
Kinda blow , it is just ur thought, ed.
53 Geordie Nick // Jun 24, 2008 at 14:01
if he plays left wing then his scorin ratio is pretty poor aswell, 11 in 110, in comparison with arda’s 30 goals in 110 games!!!!! which is why id prefer arda anyway!!!!
54 Beattie // Jun 24, 2008 at 14:32
lol i know im clutchin at straws NUFCAL, but im stil tryin to cling onto some hope that a good signing is on the horizon, its the only thing keepin me goin through this lack of transfers
55 harrier // Jun 24, 2008 at 14:34
http://www.newsnow.co.uk/A/283577011?-11058
56 micepie // Jun 24, 2008 at 14:52
If he can also play left wing as well as lb it may not be so bad if we let Duff go should we be able to buy Zhirkov…
57 adam // Jun 24, 2008 at 16:41
would be a fantastic signing
58 adam // Jun 24, 2008 at 16:43
one of the best left backs in the world
59 Tom_Toon // Jun 24, 2008 at 17:00
escept he isnt a left back and cant defend
60 Kaler // Jun 24, 2008 at 17:41
Do you rate him as a winger Tom Toon?
61 Tom_Toon // Jun 24, 2008 at 17:43
yes otherwise i wouldnt have been going on about him on here for the last year!
62 tam toon // Jun 24, 2008 at 18:00
Great player -pointless article, no link or chance of getting him. Ed why wait until now to bull him up? Tom toon has been banging the drum for ages.
63 Kaler // Jun 24, 2008 at 18:05
Just starting reading recently mate I didn’t know.
Interesting article saying us and celtic could be interested in him, still just journalist guess work though. I still think Pavlyuchenko should be our number one target from the russian team. Both would be nice obviously.
64 Neville Brewis // Jun 24, 2008 at 18:08
Marvellous player he would fit in well, I would play him with Foggon, Lee and Schneider the little dutch lad.
65 Arshavin4Toon_NoMore // Jun 25, 2008 at 5:56
yes he looks a good attacking LB. but Arda seems better playing upfield on the flanks or through the middle. so get both. plus Arda or Lennon are both right-footed so Zhirkov can provide “real” crosses from the left. Enrique may be tougher in defending but he has a lot to learn in ball skills and attacking tricks from the Russian. N’Zogbia can surely play on the left but i am more interested seeing him moulded into our Arshavin who is an all-round attacker.
66 normski1930z // Jun 26, 2008 at 17:26
well the two russians i would go for would be indeed zhirkov and Pavel Viktorovich Pogrebnyak outlay of probs in the region of 25 million but as i have sed on here loads is you get what you pay for…….
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