Mikhail Ignatov

Mikhail Ignatov came through Moscow's academy system on both sides of the city's derby divide, joining CSKA Moscow's youth ranks before switching to Spartak, where he won the Russian Youth Championship in the 2016/17 season. He worked his way up through Spartak-2, putting in 55 appearances and 12 goals in the FNL, and made his senior debut for Spartak in September 2018, appearing in both the Europa League and the Russian Premier League in the same month.

Over seven seasons with Spartak's first team, Ignatov made 132 appearances and scored nine goals. He was part of the squad that won the Russian Cup in 2021/22, the same season fans voted him the club's Best Young Player. He also collected a silver medal in the Premier League in 2020/21 and a bronze in 2022/23, and was on the losing side in the 2022 Russian Super Cup final.

His development was tracked by the national set-up at every youth level from under-16 to under-21, where he earned eight caps and scored once. In March 2023 he was named in an extended senior squad, though a full debut has not followed.

When his Spartak contract ran out in the summer of 2025, Ignatov left as a free agent. PFC Sochi picked him up on a three-year deal in July, taking him through to 2028 without a transfer fee changing hands.