Dmitry Shnyakin believes that Zenit Saint Petersburg may attempt to acquire Russian striker Fyodor Chalov from PAOK during this transfer window. Shnyakin stated that he has no insider information or additional knowledge. Shnyakin noted that Zenit previously had a strong interest in Chalov and that Semak values him. He also mentioned that, to his knowledge, Chalov is currently not being included in the squad or the matchday roster.

Former CSKA forward Valery Masalitin questioned why Zenit would need the 27-year-old Russian centre-forward Fedor Chalov, arguing that the player is not a standout for a team that competes for the championship. Masalitin described Chalov as not being noticeable since his move to PAOK in Greece and stated he would not be surprised if the club were to loan him out soon. He acknowledged that a transfer to Zenit might have been logical in the past when Chalov was a frequent scorer, but he now believes the move is unsuitable due to the player's low scoring rate and what Masalitin considers a questionable mental state. Chalov has scored one goal in 10 league appearances this season. Chalov has 8 caps and 3 goals for Russia. According to Transfermarkt, his current market value is €5.50m. He has also been linked with CSKA Moskva.