Kickoff (Cape Town)
20 December 2008
Bafana Bafana defender Matthew Booth is expecting a call very soon with news from clubs interested in signing him on a free transfer.
The big centreback who captained Russian club Krylia Sovetov to sixth position this past season, has attracted interest from four clubs in Moscow, two English First Division outfits and from a club in Ukraine.
"I was offered pretty much the same deal as I'm on now to stay with my club next season. Their reasoning was that the economy is expected to get worse and that was all they could offer me.
"I understand the situation, but was willing to see which other clubs would look at my proposal. In turn my club said they would have to move on without me," Booth tells KickOff.com while on holiday in Cape Town.
"So I am free from December 31, but I am expecting a call any day now with news from some of the clubs that are interested. So I've got to stay as fit as possible," he says.
Booth tells KickOff.com that he would love to play in the European Champions League and feels that the profile of Russian football has increased recently.
"With what the Russian national team did at Euro and Zenit St Petersburg's run in Europe, Russian soccer has raised its profile and things are looking good," he says.
Two Moscow clubs, CSKA Moscow and Dynamo Moscow, qualifed for Europe this season.
Second place finishers CSKA Moscow automatically qualify for the 2009/10 Uefa Champions League group stage, along with League winners Rubin Kazan.
Third placed Dynamo Moscow qualified for the second qualifying round of the Champions League for non-champions.
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