Lokomotive Moscow club in consultation with its young player, Alexei Patrakov, rejected an attractive offer from the Saudi Federation of 30 million euros with an annual salary of 5 million euros and additional rewards, a few days before the summer transfer market is closed 2025.
The Saudi Federation offers a huge offer
Russia Sport confirmed that the Saudi Al -Ittihad club tried to persuade Lokomotiv Moscow to abandon Alexei Patrakov for 30 million euros (equivalent to 2.8 billion rubles), in addition to a huge annual contract for the player, in an attempt to repeat the great deals that the Roshen League has known in the last two years. Although the show was enough to become the largest in the history of Lokomotiv, the Russian administration did not agree.
Why did Lokomotiv refuse to sell Patrakov?
The rejection decision came after direct consultations with the player, as the administration and with it Patrakov saw that leaving the Saudi League at this stage may hinder his football career, especially since the 20 -year -old aspires to move in the future to one of the five major European leagues, such as the Premier League, Liga, Calcio or Bundesliga.
Patrakov between ambition and money
The young Russian talent caught the attention with its distinguished numbers, as last season he scored 14 goals and made 7 decisive passes during 29 games, to occupy the top scoring contributions in the Russian league alongside Albanian Merlind Daco. This season, he continued his brilliance stronger, after he scored 7 goals in the first 6 rounds, to lead his team towards competing for the local title.
Is the Gabri Vega scenario repeated?
The Russian site indicated that Patrakov was inspired by the experience of the Spanish Jabri Vega, who left for the people of Jeddah in 2023 with the same financial value (30 million euros), but he soon lost his European luster and moved away from the Spain national team, to return this summer to Porto for only half the amount (15 million euros). This model has strengthened the player’s conviction of the need to wait in order for him to have a real opportunity in one of the major championships on the old continent.
An exceptional talent in the Russian league
Russian football experts believe that Alexei Patrakov has the capabilities that qualify him to be one of the most prominent stars of the future in his country and perhaps on the global scene, provided that he continues to focus on developing his performance inside the stadiums and not being drifted behind the financial temptations. Refusal of the Saudi Federation’s offer may be a bold step, but it expresses the personality of a player who seeks football glory before anything else.
