The Nikolov brothers will be teammates at Lube Civitanova. This is clear from information from a source close to the family of the two Bulgarian internationals.
According to the source, key transfers among setters in Europe are already practically finalized. Mattia Boninfante is leaving Italy to continue his career in Russia – initially, an option with Lokomotiv (Novosibirsk) was discussed, but the latest information is that he will play for Zenit (Saint Petersburg). Meanwhile, Luciano De Cecco is also heading to Russia, where he will join Lokomotiv (Novosibirsk).
Under these circumstances, only one realistic option remains for Lube for the setter position – Simeon Nikolov. Thus, the younger brother will take the vacated spot and will reunite with Alex Nikolov on the same team.
If the transfer is finalized, Lube will have two Bulgarian internationals in its main rotation – a rare and significant move that underscores the Italian powerhouse's trust in young players from Bulgaria.
Indeed, volleyball blogger Jakub Balcerzak was the first to openly speak about this option, which everyone in Bulgaria secretly hoped would happen, having posted a tweet hinting at it a month ago.
Official confirmation is expected in the coming days, which will put an end to speculation about the setters' future and provide full clarity on Lube's squad for the next season.
