MOSCOW, August 4 (R-Sport) - Rubin Kazan left-back Cristian Ansaldi has completed a transfer to injury-ravaged Zenit St. Petersburg, Rubin said Sunday.
The Argentinian, who won two Russian titles and last season's Russian Cup with Rubin since joining from Newell's Old Boys in 2008, will pen a four-year deal with Zenit.
“In the near future, Ansaldi will head to St. Petersburg, where, after a medical, he will join up with Zenit, where he will continue his career,” Rubin said in a website statement.
Injuries to left-back Domenico Criscito and right-back Alexander Anyukov have prompted Zenit coach Luciano Spalletti to field a makeshift back four in the last few games, with midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk and 17-year-old Dzhamaldin Khodzhaniyazov both deployed there in recent games.
Criscito’s torn cruciate ligament means he is likely to be sidelined for months to come, meaning Ansaldi is set to be first choice at left-back.
Ansaldi, 26, has three caps for Argentina and has been called up by Alejandro Sabella for a friendly against Italy scheduled for August 14.
Zenit are third in the Russian top flight after four games, but many of the teams around them have a game in hand.
