Former Dynamo player Ivan Temnikov believes a return to the Moscow club could help Real Sociedad midfielder Arsen Zakharyan revive his career after a difficult spell in Spain.
Speaking exclusively to online publication Euro-Football.Ru, Temnikov said Zakharyan’s homecoming would benefit both the player and Dynamo, although he stressed that much would depend on the midfielder’s physical condition.
“If he returns, it seems to me that he will be coming home. And, as we know, there is no place like home. Here he could restart his career,” Temnikov said.
“We all know perfectly well that in Spain he has had injury after injury and has not really been able to show himself. If he comes back, I think it would be a plus for Dynamo because one of their academy graduates would have returned. It would also be a plus for Zakharyan because it is his home club. The only question is his condition.”
Zakharyan came through Dynamo’s youth system before moving to Real Sociedad, but his progress in Spain has been disrupted by injuries and a lack of regular playing time. He has made only three minutes on the pitch this season.
Temnikov was asked whether Zakharyan had failed to reach the level required to play for Real Sociedad. The former Dynamo player said he had not watched enough of the midfielder to make such a definitive judgement, but did not believe Zakharyan had changed significantly as a player.
“I have not watched many matches, but I would not say that he has become better or worse. He is simply at his level. He has not done anything particularly notable,” Temnikov said.
The comments come amid speculation over whether Zakharyan could return to the club where he established himself. Temnikov presented the move as an opportunity for the midfielder to rebuild his confidence and regain momentum in familiar surroundings, rather than as proof that his time at Real Sociedad had definitively come to an end.
However, he also made clear that the player’s fitness would be central to any possible return. Zakharyan’s limited involvement this season means there is uncertainty over what he could immediately offer Dynamo, despite his previous connection with the club and his status as a product of its academy.
For Temnikov, the potential transfer would therefore carry an element of risk, but it could also give Zakharyan the environment in which to recover his form. The midfielder has yet to make a significant impact at Real Sociedad, while his current campaign has been limited to just three minutes of action.