RUSSIA has not, historically, had many representatives in the Scottish top flight.

Goalkeeper Dmitri Kharine signed for Celtic in 1999, a year after compatriot Andrei Kanchelskis signed for Rangers, but both players failed to make a massive impact during their time in Scotland.

Only this summer Celtic signed Swedish defender from the Russian Premier League - but what of its homegrown talents? The division may not be one of the world's foremost competitions but it is widely considered stronger than the SPFL and, as such, there are potential gems to be mined there.

Here, we take a look at three of them...

Aleksandr Lomovitskiy (Spartak Moscow)

Age: 23; Position: Right winger; Preferred foot: Left

Lomovitskiy’s profile is quite a case as he has played multiple roles in the last year for different clubs.

He spent the 2020-21 season on loan, mainly at Arsenal Tula after having his brief loan spell at Khimki terminated. The Russian played in different positions for Tula and put up some impressive numbers. He returned to Spartak at the end of last season, after his loan spell, and is a part of Spartak’s matchday squads consistently.

However, the 23-year-old has started just four games for this season and has found chances hard to come by. Whenever he has started, he has mainly done so on the left side of Spartak’s midfield in a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2.

Despite his lack of game-time, Lomovitskiy is still an interesting proposition for Ange Postecoglou.

Celtic Way:

Taking a look at his numbers in terms of chance creation and passing, it is evident that his expected assists numbers are impressive. Along with that, he poses a threat with his passing and the data backs it up with key passes and goal-creating involvements.

Lomovitskiy is not an explosive winger however he does have the ability to quickly turn his pace and get past players with his dribbling ability.

Celtic Way:

The picture above is an example of how he can set players off with his passing. He hasn't had too many opportunities to express himself this season but he is capable of pulling off those intricate passes when given the chance.

That said, he is not much of a runner and shows up for receiving only occasionally.  Although he is a high-volume crosser, he is not elite in that aspect and is something that he could work on. Most importantly, he enjoys playing down the right channel where he can cut in on his left foot and make penalty box entries with passes or crosses.

Celtic Way:

Lomovitskiy’s output is on the lower side but that is mainly down to his role in his team. He is not relied upon heavily for goalscoring and that is reinforced that with his involvement in the box. He does win a fair amount of fouls and is a low volume shot taker.

Another important part of his game is that he understands his role well on both sides of the ball. He drops back when his team is out of possession and helps his full-back in defensive situations. He makes a significant amount of defensive actions compared to Celtic’s offensive players like Jota, Liel Abada and David Turnbull while also showing a penchant for interceptions.

Danil Glebov (FC Rostov)

Age: 22; Position: Defensive midfielder; Preferred foot: right

Glebov spent a good part of his career at Anzhi, coming out of their youth setup before joining Rostov in 2019.

He is now the youngest captain in the Russian Premier League and made his senior international debut last month in Russia’s 6-0 win against Cyprus and also got a few minutes in the 1-0 loss to Croatia.

Celtic Way:

Glebov normally plays in the centre in a 4-3-3 or a 3-5-2 for Rostov and tends to tuck in on the left-hand side in a three-man buildup from the back, as their left-back moves up the pitch.

As such, he is comfortable on the ball and is able to move higher in the final phase of play. He has a knack for picking the right passing options and is a progressive user of the ball when he has it. He mostly looks to play vertical passes unless he is being heavily pressed or doesn’t have safer options ahead.

Celtic Way:

The picture above is a classic example of his long-range passing ability to get out of compact blocks.  The 22-year old’s range is brilliant and adds that long passing threat that neither Tom Rogic, Ismaila Soro or Callum McGregor really offer. In addition, he tries to set off runners with his long passing whenever possible.

When pressed, Glebov tries to play it safe but often looks to get out of possession quickly to evade the press. Despite being a defensive midfielder, he does suit playing higher up the pitch in the half-spaces where he receives and looks for active passing options.

Celtic Way:

The defensive side of his game is not the strongest but his ability to intercept and recover possession is a huge positive.

The interception numbers are in the top percentiles while, despite attempting fewer duels, his win rate is also on the right side of the chart.

When engaging in duels, Glebov doesn’t get too tight and tries to nick the ball off the opposition player by extending his legs or by preparing to block an exit. With that in mind, it is quite impressive that he gives away very few fouls.

However, one of his weaknesses is that he tends to get caught ball-watching at times. He does try to get back in position when there are turnovers, though, and as much as he is far from the finished product he is an exciting player with an international future.

Konstantin Maradishvili (Lokomotiv Moscow)

Age: 21; Position: Central midfielder; Preferred foot: Right

Maradishvili made a £6.3million move from CSKA Moskva to Lokomotiv this summer but could be one to watch out for in the future.

He was part of Russia’s U21 UEFA European Championship squad, where he played more than 400 minutes and bagged a couple of assists. 

Celtic Way:

The 21-year old midfielder is someone who loves to drift wide into the half-spaces and makes his presence felt in the final third.

He usually plays in the centre-right of midfield in a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3 but can also play as an attacking midfielder or as part of the double pivot in a 4-2-3-1. The heatmap above is from this season and reinforces his right-sided wide-area bias.

Maradishvili is progressive with his passing and tries to move the ball forward and vertically regularly. He has good technical ability and does not hesitate in taking risks with his passing. Although he can be rather casual at times, he does have good numbers for smart passes and through passes and attempts them more often than most midfielders.

Celtic Way:

Maradishvili is a player who likes to get forward and get involved heavily in the final phase of the attack. You can find him marching forward after a pass and, although it is a quite adventurous attitude, it does leave him out of position at times particularly when he plays a deeper role.

His passing in between the lines is a standout feature of his game and he regularly attempts to get the ball to dangerous zones. That said, he could still step up his levels by scanning a bit more often and by showing more composure under pressure.

Indeed, the defensive side of his game needs polishing as he tends to give away a fair amount of fouls.

The youngster gets into duels often but has a below-average win rate. He gets beaten a little too easily in one-v-one situations and needs covering in such cases and there is improvements to be made in his positioning out of possession.

Celtic Way:

Maradishvili is still in his early days at Lokomotiv and in time should mature into a better midfielder. Although he wouldn’t be an immediate target, it is one Celtic would be wise to keep tabs on.