{"id":1105938,"date":"2019-09-11T17:16:15","date_gmt":"2019-09-11T16:16:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1105938"},"modified":"2019-09-11T17:16:15","modified_gmt":"2019-09-11T16:16:15","slug":"dzyuba-turned-down-january-transfer-everton","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/dzyuba-turned-down-january-transfer-everton\/","title":{"rendered":"Dzyuba to Everton? Loyalty prevented the 2018 World Cup’s prime aerial threat from coming to England"},"content":{"rendered":"

Zenit Saint Petersburg striker Artem Dzyuba has revealed he turned down the chance to join Everton in the January transfer window this year.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 31-year-old claims he had the opportunity to leave Zenit for Everton in the winter but wanted to stay with his current club to help them win the Russian championship.<\/p>\n

Why did Dzyuba turn down Everton? Five things to know…<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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  • No player won more aerial duels (42) at the 2018 World Cup than Dzyuba.<\/li>\n
  • The striker rejected an Everton move in January to win the Russian title with Zenit.<\/li>\n
  • Dzyuba feels he made the right decision as Zenit achieved their objective.<\/li>\n
  • The “chemistry” he has with his teammates also played a part in his decision to stay.<\/li>\n
  • But Dzyuba admits he hoped for a move away from the club this summer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    https:\/\/audioboom.com\/posts\/7360490-squawka-talker-special-champions-league-2019-20-preview<\/p>\n

    Dzyuba scored eight goals in 27 appearances as Zenit sealed the Russian Premier League title last season.<\/p>\n

    Speaking to the media in his home country, the Russia international said he made the right decision by staying put in January but hoped for a summer move that didn’t materialise.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI signed a contract with [agent Jorge] Mendes. With his representatives,” he said<\/a>. “Last winter there was a reality I could go, as I understand it, to Everton.<\/p>\n

    “But I didn\u2019t want to. Because in the winter it would be wrong. We deserved to become champions of Russia. Everything went to this [objective].<\/p>\n

    \"European<\/a>

    READ MORE: Done deals you may have missed on European deadline day<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

    “And as it turned out, I did the right thing, that I did not leave. In the summer, I really hoped that something would happen. But the specifics, unfortunately, were not [in place].<\/p>\n

    “Possible loans. Maybe something else. But only talk. I didn’t want to be pushed.”<\/p>\n

    Dzyuba played a starring role as Russia made it to the quarter-finals of the World Cup they hosted in 2018, sitting level alongside England’s Harry Maguire with the most aerial duels won (42) at the tournament.<\/p>\n

    The striker also scored three goals, two of which came in the group stages. The other was a spot-kick against Spain in the Round of 16.<\/p>\n

    He was named Russia captain last year and has scored a total of 21 goals in 38 appearances for his country.<\/p>\n