Lokomotiv Moscow reportedly interested in Faustino Anjorin, talks in progress?

Russian Premier League side Lokomotiv Moscow are apparently interested in signing Chelsea youngster Faustino Anjorin, in what can only be described as a surprising rumor.

According to Eurostavka, the 19-year-old will be heading to Moscow later this week, though it’s not known if he would do so just for the season or as a permanent transfer.

It’s worth noting that the great Ralf Rangnick is the Managing Director of Sport and Communications at Lokomotiv these days, which does lend some credence to this rumor. Rangnick, often credited with inventing ‘gegenpressing’, had been the mastermind behind Red Bull’s footballing projects over the past decade (Salzburg, Leipzig, etc) and has also acted as a mentor to a generation of German coaches, including Thomas Tuchel. He is widely renowned for his trust in and development of youngsters.

Football.London also corroborates these rumors from Russia, guessing that it’s likely to be a loan move rather than something more permanent, given Anjorin’s contract (through 2025) and Tuchel’s prior praise for the England U19 international. Anjorin also has interest from the Championship and the Netherlands, but due to his relatively high wages for his age, the Russian side might have an edge over their rivals.

Anjorin has made 78 appearances across the U18-U23 youth levels for Chelsea, collecting 35 goals and 18 assists. He had somewhat of a wasted season last year, playing only 956 minutes of football (and just 111 for the first-team), so a loan move is indisputably the best choice for him at this point in time.