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Fulham talk to Nigmatullin
last updated Wednesday 09th May 2001, 9:06 AM
English first division Champions Fulham want to sign Lokomotiv Moscow's
international goalkeeper
Ruslan Nigmatullin, the Russian premier division club said on Thursday.
"Lokomotiv president Valery Filatov has spoken to a Fulham representative
to discuss Nigmatullin's move to the English club," spokesperson
Natalya Vasilyeva stated.
"But Filatov said he would not let Nigmatullin go anywhere until
the summer at the earliest."
Vasilyeva added that the 26-year-old had been approached by a number of
European clubs this year.
Last season a move to Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon was called
off when the clubs failed to agree a fee.
Russian media reported that Nigmatullin would cost newly-promoted Fulham
1.2 million pounds ($1.71 million).
Last season Nigmatullin looked set to replace Peter Schmeichel at Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon but the Danish star recovered from injury and signed a contract extension.
Nigmatullin has been seeking a transfer ever since Lazio were interested in signing him after his heroics against them in 1999's European Cup Winners' Cup semi-final.
Former Napoli coach Zdenek Zeman also considered making a bid for the goalkeeper, who holds the Russian first division record for not conceding a goal for 939 minutes,
He began his career in the lower reaches of the Russian league with Electron Kazan, before moving on to second division club Kamaz. In 1995 his boyhood dream of playing for Spartak Moscow came true and he helped the Russian giants win two league titles in 1996 and 1997.
But after being edged out of the side by Alexander Filimonov, Nigmatullin moved across the city to Lokomotiv where he has been in outstanding form over the last three seasons.
If Nigmatullin does move to Craven Cottage, Lokomotiv are tipped to sign Kazakhstan goalkeeper David Loria as his replacement.
A Fulham spokesman described reports of the London club moving for Nigmatullin
as "merely speculation".
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Source daily soccer
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