Journalist Ivan Karpov reported that Rostov and Rubin are showing interest in Sergey Varatynov. Varatynov is a 22-year-old Russian centre-back. According to the report, the player's contract with Baltika contains a release clause of 120 million rubles. Varatynov stated that he had only recently heard about the interest from the two clubs and affirmed that he is currently happy at Baltika, as everything in Kaliningrad suits him. Varatynov joined Baltika in September 2024 and his contract runs until June 2027. In the 2025/26 Premier Liga season, he made 30 appearances and scored one goal. The defender has 6 caps for the Russia U17 team. According to Transfermarkt, his current market value is €1.80m.