The Russian FA is considering buying national team players out of their club contracts in the season before the 2018 World Cup to guarantee they are ready to compete.

Fabio Capello’s side were eliminated from this summer’s World Cup – their first appearances at the finals since 2002 – in the group stages after picking up two points from their three matches. It has increased the scrutiny on the team as Russia prepares to host the tournament for the first time in 2018.

In an interview with the Russian news agency Itar-Tass, the Russian Football Union’s general secretary, Anatoliy Vorobyev, said the scheme is one of several being considered after the under-21 side were also eliminated from the European Championship at the group stages last week.

“It is clear that we can only compete on the highest world level through teamwork,” he said. “In this situation, it is necessary to look for possible competitive advantage. One of them, perhaps, the most important thing would be to create a core team – ‘Russia 2018’.

“The team would take part in the Russian domestic championship in the season before the World Cup, that is 2017-18. The team would be formed from “leased” players who play regularly for Russia and represent the leading clubs. There would be two transfer windows.

“The club could take back a player sent to ‘Russia 2018’ for the winter off-season. It would also be possible to arrange for the club to get its player back for the spring campaign of the Champions League.”

Russia began their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign with a 4-0 victory over Liechtenstein on Monday. Before the game, Capello dismissed rumours he not been paid any of his salary – rumoured to be £7.8m a year – since being eliminated from the World Cup. “I’m not thinking about the rumours regarding my contract and my money,” he said. “Economic questions are the last thing I’m worried about.”