Earlier, media reported that a host of European sides, including Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Juventus, Napoli and Monaco, were interested in the 22-year-old footballer.

"I think Golovin and [Fedor] Smolov are the leaders of the Russian team. I don't know which teams are interested in Golovin, but if he plays well [at the World Cup], he will have every opportunity to go anywhere... I saw him in matches against [London club] Arsenal, and he played very well. I think now he can go anywhere," Arshavin said.

Golovin, who has been capped 19 times for Russia since his senior debut in 2015, including three matches at UEFA Euro 2016, was named in the national team's final 23-man squad for the World Cup.

The 2018 World Cup kicks off on Thursday, with hosts Russia set to face Saudi Arabia in the opening match at the 81,000-seater Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, before taking on Egypt and Uruguay who have also been drawn in Group A.