Lokomotiv and Armenia national team player Nair Tiknizyan spoke exclusively to Telecomasia.net about the interest from European clubs during the summer transfer window.
– Are you feeling frustrated about not being able to move to a European club? Fans are concerned that you might experience a dip in performance now, similar to what happened to Chalov when his move to the Premier League fell through.
– That's a good question. As I’ve mentioned many times before, I genuinely want to move to Europe. Yes, there were indeed offers from foreign clubs, but it is crucial to not just join a top-five league club as a tourist, but to be able to compete at that level. The clubs made proposals, but they didn’t meet Lokomotiv's expectations.
If they really wanted me that badly, perhaps they would have improved the transfer terms and reached an agreement with my club. I continue to work hard and don’t have time to dwell on disappointments because I have games ahead for the Armenia national team and for Lokomotiv. I will keep working and believe in better outcomes, – said Tiknizyan in the mixed zone after the match against Latvia.
As reported by Telecomasia.net, Sevilla wanted to loan Tiknizyan for free until the end of the 2024/25 season. They were only willing to negotiate a purchase from Lokomotiv after the loan period.
The transfer fee was set at €5 million, with the Spaniards prepared to make the payment by July 2027. Lokomotiv found this arrangement unacceptable and rejected the offer.
Tiknizyan is 25 years old and has been with Lokomotiv since 2021. So far this season, he has played nine matches across all competitions, scoring two goals and providing two assists.