Midfielder Ilzat Akhmetov has returned to Krylia Sovetov Samara on a one-year contract following the end of his agreement with Zenit Saint Petersburg.
The 28-year-old player joined the Samara side as a free agent after his contract with Zenit expired, according to an announcement by the club's press service. Akhmetov will wear jersey number 97 for Krylia Sovetov during the new campaign.
Akhmetov returns to Samara after spending the previous season on loan at Krylia Sovetov from Zenit. Throughout that loan spell, the midfielder became a key figure in the team's attack, featuring in 31 matches across all competitions while scoring two goals and providing eight assists for the Samara outfit.
Before his loan spell in Samara, Akhmetov had joined Zenit Saint Petersburg from FC Krasnodar in January 2024. During his time with the St. Petersburg club, the midfielder made 21 appearances across all competitions without recording any goals or assists before his contract reached its end.
Career history and international caps
Earlier in his senior football career, Akhmetov represented several prominent Russian clubs, beginning at Rubin Kazan before moving to CSKA Moscow and later FC Krasnodar. In addition to his domestic club achievements, the midfielder has made nine appearances for the Russian national team.
Club background and regional context
Krylia Sovetov Samara is a professional football club based in Samara, a major administrative and industrial city situated on the Volga River in southwestern Russia. Competing in the top division of the Russian Premier League, the club was founded in 1942 and plays its home fixtures in Samara, drawing support from across the region.
Zenit Saint Petersburg, located in Russia's second-largest city on the Baltic coast, is one of the country's most decorated top-flight clubs. Akhmetov's permanent move to Krylia Sovetov offers him regular first-team opportunities in Samara following the conclusion of his contract with the St. Petersburg side.
In professional football, a free agent transfer allows a player whose contract has expired to sign with a new team without requiring a transfer fee between clubs. By securing Akhmetov on a one-year contract, Krylia Sovetov adds an experienced international midfielder to their squad ahead of the upcoming fixtures.
