Zenit St. Petersburg have paid 22 million euros to sign Portuguese international Bruno Alves from Porto, setting a new domestic transfer record in the process, the Russian club said on Wednesday.
The deal for the 28-year-old defender, who was earlier linked with Real Madrid and Chelsea, is the most expensive transfer in Russia to involve a foreign side. The 30 million euros that Zenit paid to sign Portuguese international Danny from Dynamo Moscow in 2008 remains the most costly transfer fee in the history of the Russian Premier League.
Alves is due to arrive in Russia later on Wednesday to sign with Zenit.
Gazprom-backed Zenit, who face a key Champions League match this evening, have also been linked with a 25 million euro move for Chelsea’s Russian international Yury Zhirkov, Sovetski Sport said.
Runaway Russian Premier League leaders Zenit face Unirea Urziceni in St. Petersburg after the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round tie ended goalless in Romania.
MOSCOW, August 4 (RIA Novosti)
