Lokomotiv Moscow officially signed 34-year-old defender Igor Smolnikov and 34-year-old striker Artem Dzyuba.

Contracts with both players will run until the end of 2022/23 season. Dzyuba will wear number seven shirt, while Smolnikov chose number eight. In the first part of the season Dzyuba represented Adana Demirspor in Turkey scoring one goal in four Super Lig matches, Smolnikov played for Torpedo getting a goal and an assist in 16 RPL appearances. Players were mates in Zenit for five years (2015–2020), except spring 2018, when Dzyuba left for Arsenal Tula on loan.

Dzyuba is four-time RPL champion, the all-time top scorer in the Russian top division history with 148 goals. The striker played for Spartak Moscow, Tom Tomsk, FC Rostov, Zenit St. Petersburg and Arsenal Tula. Three-time RPL champion Smolnikov previously represented Lokomotiv both at youth (2000–2005) and professional level (2008–2012, four times left on loan). Defender was a player for six RPL clubs including Torpedo Moscow, Lokomotiv Moscow, FC Rostov, FC Krasnodar, Zenit St. Petersburg, and Arsenal Tula. Player made 281 appearances and scored 11 goals.