Loko find reinforcements in Spain and England

Lokomotiv have been one of the big spenders since the Russian transfer window opened on August 1. Four new players from top European leagues have joined the side to help new coach Jose Couceiro revive the Moscow club. ­The Railway Men have become the 48-year-old Portuguese specialist’s ninth club in his coaching career. Besides the club circuit, Jose Couceiro also managed the national team of Lithuania during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers where he defeated the likes of Romania, Austria and the Faroe Islands. The coach believes the new signings will allow him to be as successful with Lokomotiv. Forward Felipe Kaisedo, the 22-year-old Ecuadorian international, joins Lokomotiv from Levante in the Spanish La Liga. He played 32 matches for his country’s national team and scored five goals in the process. Over his relatively short professional career he has played for five teams including Manchester City, Basel, Sporting Lisbon and Spain’s Malaga and Levante. Another new arrival is the Nigerian international, 24-year-old winger Victor Obinna, who is also something of a club-hopper. An Inter Milan player, he has spent the last two seasons on loan – first for Malaga in Spain, and the following year for West Ham in the English Premier League. Obinna's West Ham team-mate Manuel Da Costa also joined Lokomotiv during the summer transfer period. The Portuguese defender's trophies include the French Cup in 2006 and the Netherlands title in 2007. Lokomotiv’s latest signing is Spanish midfielder Alberto Zapater, who joins the club from Sporting Lisbon. The 26-year-old started in La Liga’s Zaragosa where he played for five years scoring five goals and winning the Spanish Super Cup in the process. In an interview with Lokomotiv’s official website, Zapater admitted that he had had offers from four Spanish clubs as well as Italy’s Parma, England’s Newcastle and Olympiakos from Greece. However, Lokomotiv’s offer outweighed the rest mainly because of new head coach Jose Couceiro’s personal involvement. So, Lokomotiv are yet to lose a match or even concede a goal under Jose Couceiro's management. The team is now looking ahead to reaching new heights in the remainder of the season and all new acquisitions should help in achieving that goal.