Billionaire Russian 'pulls plug' on Anzhi spending

Anzhi Makhachkala's billionaire owner Suleiman Kerimov is planning to sell off his most expensive stars and drastically cut the club's budget, reports said Wednesday.


Kerimov took over the club at the heart of the restive Russian republic of Dagestan in January 2011 and ploughed huge funds into it, hoping to turn the side into serious contenders for European honours.

But Sport Express reported that after Anzhi's humbling 1-0 home defeat to Rostov on Friday, Kerimov experienced health problems and decided to make a drastic change.

It said that Kerimov held a meeting with Anzhi's players and promised them the club would meet its financial obligations and help them find new clubs.

The news will throw uncertainty over the futures of stars such as Cameroon captain Samuel Eto'o, Brazil's Willian and Russian international Yury Zhirkov.

The sudden about-turn by the owner of the pre-season title favourites also deals a blow to the image of Russian football as it prepares to host the 2018 World Cup.

According to Sport Express, Kerimov said he was not selling the club and that Anzhi's former manager Gadzhi Gadzhiev would take over in the near future.

Gadzhiev will replace Dutch manager Rene Meulensteen, a former assistant to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, who took over from countryman predecessor Guus Hiddink two weeks ago.

The club's president Konstantin Remchukov confirmed on his Twitter account that Anzhi will undergo serious reforms while saying that Kerimov would give further details later.

"The main news is that Anzhi will undergo a shake-up," Remchukov wrote on his Twitter account. "Many of our expensive stars will leave Anzhi, while the club's budget will be decreased to $50-$70 million a year.

"We failed to clinch rapid success. Now Anzhi will develop its academy according to the medium-term plans of club development."

Hiddink took over as manager in February 2012 and in June extended his contract with the club for another year.

But in mysterious circumstances last month, the 66-year-old former Russia manager suddenly stepped down leaving Meulensteen at the helm.

But he failed to inspire Anzhi rapidly and the club are without a win this season, sitting 13th in the table with just two points from four matches.