Russian champions plot move for Steven Pienaar
RUSSIAN champions Rubin Kazan are planning an audacious swoop for Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar in the January transfer window.
Rubin clinched their first-ever title over the weekend, beating Saturn Ramenskoe 2-1 to secure the championship with three games to spare.
Coach Kurban Berdyev has already began scouring for reinforcements in preparation for their Champions League campaign next season, in which they will enter at the group stage.
And Berdyev has named Pienaar as one of his leading targets after claiming the 26-year-old has previously declined the opportunity of a move to the club.
"Last year we had talks with the South African Pienaar," said Berdyev. "He is now at Everton, but he doesn't always play and he may be thinking about our offer."
Rubin include former Premier League players Savo Milosevic and Sergei Rebrov among their ranks, and Pienaar's South Africa international team-mate MacBeth Sibaya.
But Everton are almost certain to resist any move for Pienaar, who signed a three-year contract at Goodison in the summer after impressing on loan from Borussia Dortmund.
Pienaar was sidelined for the first two months of the campaign with a broken toe but has started Everton's last five Premier League games.
David Moyes admits the midfielder, who assisted in 14 goals last season, was missed during those opening weeks in which the Goodison outfit struggled for form.
Since his return, Pienaar has already laid on goals for Leon Osman at Arsenal and
Marouane Fellaini's late winner at Bolton Wanderers last week.
But Moyes reckons Pienaar's team-mates must help relieve the creative burden on the South African.
"Steven was an important player for us last year and he is proving that again for us this year but we have got to be careful not to put too much emphasis on him," said the Goodison manager.
"There is no question that he is an exciting player. We brought him here to be a part of the squad but suddenly he became a real focal point of our team.
"We know he can make goals and we know he is a great player to have in the team. Steven always does a good job for us. But I would definitely like to see others start chipping in now."
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