Artem Dzyuba has not secured a professional contract for the autumn, prompting the 38-year-old forward to state that he considers his career finished while leaving open the possibility of a brief appearance in the Russian Cup for a media league side, Saint Petersburg Vedomosti reported on October 7, 2026. The former Russia national team forward, who spent last season with FC Akron Tolyatti, has amassed 248 career goals and remains close to the 250-goal milestone.
Departure from Akron Tolyatti and the Closing Transfer Window
Dzyuba parted ways with FC Akron Tolyatti following the conclusion of the previous season after making 52 total appearances and scoring 18 goals for the Premier League newcomers. His stint in Tolyatti helped the club maintain its top-flight status across two campaigns while elevating the team’s national profile. Dzyuba himself set several personal scoring and assist milestones during the tenure.
Following his exit, the forward targeted a move to a Moscow-based club, ruling out newly promoted FC Rodina Moscow due to a reluctance to participate in a relegation battle. However, interest from clubs such as FC Spartak Moscow, PFC CSKA Moscow, FC Lokomotiv Moscow, and FC Dynamo Moscow did not materialize into a contract. The Russian Premier League transfer window closed on September 10, followed two weeks later by the deadline for signing free agents, leaving Dzyuba without a professional club.
“You can say that I have finished,” Dzyuba told TASS regarding his future plans. “Perhaps I can play only for one of the media teams in the Russian Cup. For statistics. But that is not certain.”
Representative Says Dzyuba Maintains Fitness for Potential Return
Despite the forward’s remarks about retirement, his representative disputed the absolute nature of the statement, noting that Dzyuba retains an interest in reaching the 250-goal threshold. Former Russia international Dmitry Bulykin stated that Dzyuba continues to maintain fitness through regular tennis participation and solid physical conditioning, keeping open the possibility of a winter return should an appealing offer emerge.
Dzyuba’s career path includes a prolific tenure with FC Zenit Saint Petersburg, where he arrived shortly before his 27th birthday under manager André Villas-Boas and continued under Mircea Lucescu. After a brief loan spell at FC Ural Ekaterinburg in 2018 under Roberto Mancini, Dzyuba returned to Zenit to win four consecutive Russian Premier League titles under Sergei Semak. During his four championship seasons in Saint Petersburg, he scored 56 league goals, totaling 108 goals in 249 matches for the club—trailing only Aleksandr Kerzhakov, who scored 162 goals for Zenit.
Dzyuba Holds Russia National Team Scoring Record
Dzyuba left Zenit in the summer of 2022, subsequently playing in Turkey, for FC Lokomotiv Moscow, and for FC Akron Tolyatti. On the international stage, he established himself during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, scoring three goals, including a goal in the round of 16 against Spain under manager Stanislav Cherchesov. He later surpassed Kerzhakov’s all-time scoring record for the Russia national team, finishing his international career with 31 goals.
While the forward has indicated that his professional top-flight career may have concluded, neither a formal retirement document nor an official club farewell has been finalized, leaving his next steps dependent on winter transfer developments.
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