According to comments reported by the press service of Lokomotiv Moscow, new signing Aleksandr Kovalenko stated that he learned about the club's interest immediately, mentioned that there were also options with other teams, and revealed that three years ago, when he was at Krylya Sovetov, there was an option for a transfer which did not happen at that time for a number of reasons.

Lokomotiv Moscow has officially announced the signing of 22-year-old Russian midfielder Aleksandr Kovalenko from Sochi on a one-season loan agreement. The media had previously reported that Lokomotiv was loaning Kovalenko with a non-mandatory option to buy for 400 million rubles. The player's contract with Sochi is valid until the summer of 2029. He joined the club in July 2025. Kovalenko made 24 appearances for the club in the 25/26 Premier Liga season.