Roberto Carlos instructing Anzhi players
Roberto Carlos recently hinted at Anzhi's interest in more world-class European players.The former Brazilian full-back and current joint-manager of Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala has revealed he would like to bring Arsenal center forward Robin Van Persie to the club during the January transfer window.
During the summer transfer window, Anzhi surprised the football/soccer world by purchasing Samuel Eto'o from Inter Milan. The club made the Cameroon striker the best paid football player in the world after offering him wages believed to be around £8.7 million a year. Roberto Carlos said he could see Van Persie as well as Chelsea forward Nicolas Anelka and Santos youngster Neymar moving to Anzhi and in New Football Kits later this season.
The former Brazilian international said this to the French TV show Canal Football Club:
"We want to make a club the calibre of Real Madrid or Barcelona, Anelka is not the only player. Nene from PSG and Van Persie from Arsenal are players we are following. And Neymar? I talked to him. If Real, Barca or Manchester United cannot pay the transfer fee, we will pay it. (Owner) Suleyman Kerimov can offer what he wants."Speculation over Van Persie’s future increased after the Dutchman entered the final two years of his current deal with Arsenal which expires in 2013. The Gunners haven't offered an extension, creating a scenario similar to the one that led to Samir Nasri joining Manchester City this summer. Therefore a transfer for Robin van Persie wouldn't be a massive surprise.
Roberto Carlos was the first big name arrival at Anzhi after billionaire Keriomov bought the club in February. Since then the Brazilian has gone on to take over managerial duties alongside Andrei Gordeyev after previous manager Gadzhi Gadzhiev was sacked earlier in the season. Roberto Carlos attracted big names to Anzhi like Chelsea's Yuri Zhirkov and PSV Eindhoven's winger Balazs Dzsudzsak. After that, Anzhi pulled off the big transfer which brought Samuel Eto'o to the club.
Anzhi are currently 8th in the Russian Premier League and are reportedly eying up a major European manager to take up the reins on a permanent basis. Whether or not this massive money project works out will be interesting, but for now it has attracted plenty of media attention.
What are your thoughts on Anzhi's transfers and policies regarding spending huge sums of cash? Are you against it? Should money be allowed to control the beautiful game? Share your thoughts and comments below!
