Alexey Zinin reveals his biggest transfer mistake at Lokomotiv

Former Lokomotiv sporting director Alexey Zinin has revealed his biggest transfer failure during his career. In an interview, he cited the case of defender Manuel da Costa, who arrived at the club around 15 years ago. Zinin highlighted that da Costa was a player sought after by several teams due to his undefined nationality and that he stood out in the Premier League, being number one in percentage of aerial duels won.


"He was incredibly strong and had the ability to play long passes with precision. When he arrived at Lokomotiv, he brought a competitive spirit and, in the first training session, he surpassed half the team in intensity. However, he was a strong-willed player, with his own opinions about discipline and behavior within the club. At first, we managed to control his temper, but this did not last long. Manuel scored impressive goals, including two against Zenit, but over time, life off the field began to interfere with his performance. He began to have disagreements with the board and ended up losing space and motivation in the team", said Zinin.

He emphasized the lesson learned: "I now understand that when signing defenders, we should not only base ourselves on their technical qualities, however exceptional they may be, but also on their reliability and professional behavior." This shows the importance of evaluating players' character, in addition to their skills on the field. Zinin shared his reflections in an exclusive conversation with journalists Alexandr Ershov and Vladimir Chetverikov.