Manchester City and Chelsea plot move for former Manchester United trialist – prospective deal faces major complication | OneFootball

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

The 19-year-old is the latest teenager to be linked with a move to the City Football Group, with Manchester City’s multi-club network having completed a series of recent deals globally for prospective footballing talent.

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

Etihad officials have also been linked with FC Schalke teenager Assan Ouédraogo this month, and European forward Sergey Pinyaev has also emerged as a player of interest to the current Premier League champions.

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

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

Liverpool and Newcastle United have also reportedly watched 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 £26 million transfer fee, according to HITC.

Any direct move to England would likely be blocked by the UK Government however, 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 completed by a sister-club within the City Football Group network.