Oleynikov's Rubin Move Collapses, Signs for CSKA

Ivan Oleynikov travelled to Kazan, passed a medical at Rubin and posed in the club's shirt.

Rubin midfielder Veldin Hodza said the choice was Oleynikov's to make.

"Honestly, I don't even know what to say about it. It's his choice. If he'd come to us — good. If he wants to be at another club — fine. He chose CSKA. Good luck to him. I would never have done that," said Hodza.

Defender Sergey Bozhin, who joined Krylya in March, said the paperwork never caught up with Rubin's announcement.

"Oleynikov did nothing wrong. While a person hasn't signed a contract, it's wrong to put him out on social media. On paper he was still a Krylya Sovetov player when they filmed him. Our footballer got published on another club's page. I don't judge him at all. There's no such thing as acting properly or not by the code. There are official documents, there are transfer rules. He turned up and, say, didn't like something. The city, for instance. That can happen. It's wrong to make a big deal out of the fact he visited the training base. Rubin simply couldn't get the transfer over the line. That's all," said Bozhin.

Krylya head coach Sergey Bulatov backed his player, a CSKA academy graduate, in similar terms.

"Our club did everything honestly and openly. Vanya played his last match for us. I've known Vanya for 10 years, he's about football and honest dealing in life. We have no complaints against him. We're pleased he's gone to a big club. Vanya doesn't need my support, he's a big personality. Our fans think well of him," said Bulatov.

The RPL's own president weighed in with a sharper image.

"Let me give an example — a bride and groom at the registry office, the groom changes his mind, and the rings have already been brought out. Is that a fine thing to do? No. But it's his right," said Alaev, who separately called the collapse of the move "an unseemly act, but his right".

CSKA announced Oleynikov's signing last week; he is 28. Krylya's own statement, through Bulatov, framed the exit as clean on their side.