'Tuchel recommended the player' - Lokomotiv chief provides update on future of Chelsea loanee Anjorin

Published: December 16, 2021

Lokomotiv Moscow sporting director Tomas Zorn has revealed that Faustino Anjorin came highly recommended from manager Thomas Tuchel before the Russian Premier League club signed him on loan with an option to buy.

The England U20 international of Nigerian descent has made only nine appearances in all competitions for Lokomotiv Moscow since his loan move, no thanks to an injury he suffered in training that has kept him out since October 30.

Zorn admitted that Anjorin wasn't in tip-top condition when he joined the club after missing a large chunk of pre-season training at Chelsea due to coronavirus.

As a result of the winger lacking match fitness, it meant he took a long time to adapt to his new team.

Speaking to Sports.ru via Soccer News , Zorn said : "When we were deciding whether to take Tino, we closely communicated with Chelsea. Ralf Rangnick talked with Tuchel and his first assistant Zsolt Low.

"They highly recommended the player to us. However, when we took Anjorin, we realized that he was physically not ready. He had had a coronavirus and had a hard time recovering.

"I remember Tuchel told us that they had a two-way training in the summer, all the Chelsea players were there.

"Anjorin just came out after Covid and was the best on the field for 35-40 minutes."

Zorn shed more light on the terms of the agreement with Chelsea, adding that a final decision on the permanent acquisition of the Anglo-Nigerian youngster will be made at the end of the 2021-2022 season.

"Therefore, we rented him for free for a year, we only cover the salary. And they understood that Tino would need to be brought to one hundred percent physical condition.

"Now he has a fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone. He is in London to recover as quickly as possible after this injury (conditions are better there).

"We are waiting for him back by January 15th and hope that after the end of the training camp he will show the level that we are waiting for.

"After the end of the loan, we will decide whether to buy him or not. We have a unilateral buyback option," he concluded.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : fclm.ru

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