The Orenburg Courier
Player ratings10 Aug 2026
Nobody could get near Damián Puebla
Successful dribbles: 35. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Market10 Aug 2026
Orenburg say no — this time
The offer from Arsenal Tula for Alexandre Jesus was heard out and sent back the same day. First bids are rarely meant to succeed; they are meant to find out how loudly the door closes.
Transfer targets10 Aug 2026
Kristijan Bistrović is a medical away from Orenburg
The deal with Akron is done in every sense but the one that puts him on the pitch. Nothing goes wrong at this stage, except on the occasions when it does.
Transfer targets10 Aug 2026
Orenburg baulk at the price for Ugochukwu Iwu
Rubin wanted more than $2.3M and the board would not go there. Walked away, for now, which in a transfer window means until somebody blinks.
Market10 Aug 2026
Orenburg may not be able to give Jhon Palacios what he wants
It is the most legitimate ambition in the sport and the hardest for most clubs to satisfy. Jhon Palacios wants continental football; whether Orenburg can provide it is a question about the next two seasons, not about him.
Boardroom10 Aug 2026
Orenburg go back to the board over Miro
The number the board signed off was not enough. It has been asked again and raised its own offer to $1.6M — a club that wants Miro enough to be asked twice.
Squad10 Aug 2026
Maxime Sivis stays put
“The easiest signature of my career.” Maxime Sivis and Orenburg agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Squad10 Aug 2026
A falling-out at Orenburg
Damián Puebla and a teammate went at it, and not about football. Training grounds are small places and a long season makes them smaller.
Squad10 Aug 2026
Words at Orenburg training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Jhon Palacios is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
In brief
- Boardroom Orenburg beat the market to Ilja Gruznov from Khimik
- Market One of our own: Nikolay Kozlovsky joins the Orenburg first team
- Market Orenburg promote Vladislav Ignatov from within