Uzbekistan’s Oston Urunov joins Spartak Moscow

The 19-year-old midfielder makes the move from fellow Russian Premier League outfit FC Ufa, whom he joined from Uzbekistan’s PFC Lokomotiv Tashkent in February.

He made 10 distinctive appearances for the Bashkortostan club, receiving plaudits for his attacking style and earning Player of the Match honours against high-flying Lokomotiv Moscow in July.

Urunov’s move to Spartak – who have won 22 top flight titles, including 10 since the formation of the Russian League in the early 1990s – follows 18-year-old countryman Jasur Jaloliddinov’s move to Lokomotiv last week.

The pair join established striker Eldor Shomurodov in the Russian Premier League, which has served as a regular home for some of Uzbekistan’s leading players.

Despite his young age, Urunov has appeared three times for the Uzbekistan senior national team since making his debut in June 2019. He previously appeared for several age group national teams, including at the 2016 AFC U-16 Championship in India.

Urunov is expected to be part of the Uzbekistan national team squad when it convenes for friendlies against Tajikistan and IR Iran in early September.

The midfielder turns 20 on December 18, meaning he is not eligible to appear at the 2020 AFC U-19 Championship, which Uzbekistan will host October.