Özbiliz leaves Kuban for Spartak
Friday, July 26, 2013
Article summary
FC Kuban Krasnodar have allowed Armenia winger Aras Özbiliz to join fellow UEFA Europa League hopefuls FC Spartak Moskva after a successful first season in Russia.
Article top media content
Article body
Armenia winger Aras Özbiliz has left FC Kuban Krasnodar for fellow UEFA Europa League contenders FC Spartak Moskva, signing a contract until the summer of 2018 with the Moscow side.
The 23-year-old could line up against FC Dinamo Moskva in the Russian Premier League this weekend alongside Spartak's other summer signings, Russia midfielder Denis Glushakov and former Valencia CF playmaker Tino Costa.
Born in Istanbul to an Armenian family but raised in the Netherlands, Özbiliz came through the youth ranks at AFC Ajax. He won two Dutch Eredivisie titles in Amsterdam before moving to Krasnodar last summer. Capped ten times by Armenia, he helped Kuban qualify for the UEFA Europa League with a fifth-placed finish in 2012/13, and started the new campaign with two goals in as many league games.
His new club enter the UEFA Europa League in the play-offs, while Kuban meet Motherwell FC in the third qualifying round on 1 and 8 August.
