Manchester City and Chelsea plot for former Manchester United study candidate – potential deal faces major complications

Manchester City have emerged as a potential destination for former Manchester United teenager Sergey Pinyaev.

The 19-year-old is the latest teenager to be linked with a move to City Football Group, with Manchester City’s multi-club network having made a number of recent global signings for potential football talent.

River Plate star Claudio Echeverri is expected to move to the Etihad Stadium next season, while Manchester City also recently agreed a record deal to sign 14-year-old American wonderkid Cavan Sullivan.

Etihad officials have also been linked with FC Schalke teenager Assan Ouédraogo this month, while European striker Sergey Pinyaev has also become a player of interest for the reigning Premier League champions.

The 19-year-old, who currently plays for Lokomotiv Moscow in the Russian Premier League, has been the subject of interest from a number of clubs in England, Germany and Spain, having previously been on trial at Manchester United.

HITC claim Manchester City and Chelsea are both tracking the Russian, who scored five goals at Manchester United’s Carrington training complex in 2020 against Bari.

Liverpool and Newcastle United have also tracked the player, with further interest from Borussia Dortmund, Villarreal, Napoli and Bayer Leverkusen.

The teenager has been directly involved in eight goals in 26 Russian Premier League appearances so far this season and could command a £26m transfer fee, according to HITC.

However, any direct move to England would likely be blocked by the UK government, with a transfer unlikely to be sanctioned due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

It is claimed that Pinyaev could still sign for Manchester City should a deal be struck by a sister club within the City Football Group network.