Russian Premier League club FC Kuban is in informal talks to sell top scorer Lacina Traore but has not received a formal offer, the club’s chief executive Suren Mkrtchyan told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old Ivorian finished the 2011-12 Premier League season with 18 goals for Dan Petrescu’s side, making him the division’s third-best scorer and has been the subject of heated transfer speculation.
“We’re in contact on the level of talking with agents, they’re talking to the player personally,” Mkrtchyan said.
“We’ll be able to talk about something objectively when the corresponding piece of paper arrives with a concrete written sum and the other formalities.”
Kuban is resigned to letting Traore leave, Mkrtchyan suggested. The club “is not planning to hold onto anyone by force,” he said.
Kuban was the Premier League’s surprise package in 2011-12, finishing eighth in its first season since promotion back to the top flight. The club’s management now plans to fortify Kuban’s position with some high-profile signings, Mkrtchyan said.
“We’re prepared to look at options to strengthen every position, if we’re going to talk about really top-class artists,” he said.
Before this season, Kuban had never lasted more than one season in the Premier League, with one-year stays in 2004, 2007 and 2009.
The team’s performance has led to speculation that Petrescu may take over from beleaguered CSKA Moscow coach Leonid Slutsky, but the former Chelsea right-back denied the rumors at a press conference Tuesday.
