After being targeted by River, Gondou leaves Zenit and joins CSKA Moscow | OneFootball

Luciano Gondou has already decided on his next step in Europe and will continue his career in Russian football. The Argentine striker, who was on River’s radar at the beginning of the transfer window, has been permanently transferred to CSKA Moscow after failing to secure regular playing time at Zenit Saint Petersburg.

The forward had joined Zenit in mid-2024 for 12 million euros, but was unable to establish himself as a regular starter in the Russian team. In the current season, he was only in the starting lineup once in the Premier League and failed to score in that competition. His most significant involvement came in the Russian Cup, where he played more regularly and scored two goals in eight appearances.

The lack of consistent playing time opened up the possibility of a return to Argentine football, and River considered signing him to strengthen their attack. However, Zenit’s financial demands thwarted any negotiations: the Russian club valued the player at around 14 million euros and flatly rejected the option of a loan, a condition that ultimately drove River away from the deal.

He took his first steps in the top division with Sarmiento, where he scored 17 goals in 85 matches. Gondou made a significant leap at Argentinos Juniors, with 14 goals in 38 games, a performance that earned him a spot on the Argentina U-23 National Team and subsequently led to his move to European football. In the deal that took him to Zenit, the Junín club retained 20% of his rights.

Gondou’s connection with River is not new. In 2019, he had a brief stint in the club’s youth divisions after standing out in a friendly against River’s U-20 team. He arrived on loan and was part of the squad that played in the U-20 Copa Libertadores, but the pandemic and Sarmiento’s promotion prompted his return to Junín at the beginning of 2020.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.