Nani and Pjanic come out of retirement - they gave them an offer they couldn't refuse

Aktobe have set the football market buzzing. Freshly taken over by a new owner, the ambitious Kazakh club have stormed into the new year and, according to local media, secured agreements with two former stars of the global game.

Nani, 39, and Miralem Pjanic, 35, the ex-Manchester United winger and former Barcelona and Juventus midfielder, are expected to sign one-year contracts with the club. The move comes as a major surprise, given that both players had officially announced their retirement, with Nani hanging up his boots as recently as December 2024.

Clearly, Aktobe made an offer that was too good to refuse. Reports from Kazakhstan suggest that both veterans will receive record-breaking contracts by local standards, although exact figures have not yet been disclosed.

And the club's ambitions may not stop there.

According to the same sources, Fyodor Smolov, 35, the former Russia international, is also on Aktobe's radar. Talks with legendary Thomas Muller, however, reportedly collapsed at the last minute, with the German legend withdrawing after learning he would be required to play on artificial turf.

Aktobe are five-time champions of Kazakhstan and one of the country's most decorated clubs, but they have not lifted the league title for 12 long years. The arrival of globally recognised names like Nani and Pjanic has reignited belief among supporters that this painful drought could finally come to an end.

The new Kazakhstan Premier League season kicks off in March and runs until October.