Nekrasov says Spartak executives needed time to establish cooperation

The Moscow club’s general director said Francis Cagigao and Andrey Movsesyan did not immediately settle into working together.

In an interview with Sport-Express, Spartak general director Sergey Nekrasov said the club divided responsibilities between Movsesyan and sporting director Cagigao when it appointed the former. Talks with Movsesyan had lasted about six months, and his arrival nearly coincided with Nekrasov’s own appointment.

The club chief said the partnership took time to develop. The two executives now work together on the “fast-track” programme, which gives reserve-team and youth players opportunities to train, attend camps and play with the first team.

Cagigao brought the programme from Arsenal. Selected players follow individual development plans and, depending on the training cycle, between three and eight can join first-team sessions. Nekrasov said the club was pleased with the executives’ current cooperation.

Movsesyan became deputy general director for Russian scouting and youth development in October 2025, after working at CSKA from 2012 to 2024. Cagigao has been sporting director since January 2025 and previously spent more than 20 years in Arsenal’s scouting system.