“He told me he’s a childhood Man United’s fan and and has agreed to join them…Maybe he doesn’t want to win trophies again”: Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirms Champions League winner has agreed to join Man United

“He told me he’s a childhood Manchester United fan and has agreed to join them…”Perhaps he does not want to win trophies again. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says that the Champions League champion has decided to join Manchester United.

Once compared to Cristiano Ronaldo and a previous Red Devils trialist, this gifted young attacker appeared to have all roads leading to Manchester United.

However, that is no longer true. Certainly not anymore.

Sergei Pinyaev last donned Manchester United’s red during a brief trial stint five years ago.

And, while work visa concerns stopped him from signing on the dotted line with the Premier League giants at the time, the primary issue now appears to be that Pinyaev has just not matured as many in Russia had anticipated.

While the Lokomotiv Moscow winger has six goals and five assists from 20 games this season, the majority of them have come in domestic tournaments. If you simply look at Pinyaev’s performance in the Russian Premier League, he has only one goal in 14 appearances.

Pinyaev’s performances are unlikely to justify speculation that he may be Russia’s answer to Cristiano Ronaldo, as the famous Andriy Arshavin suggested in better times.

Sergei Pinyaev’s transfer to Manchester United has been thrown out
Vladimir Kuzmichev, an agent and one of Russian football’s most connected individuals, can’t help but feel that the ship has left the harbour too far.

Lokomotiv values Pinyaev at £25 million. In its current form, the charge appears to be significantly expensive.

Meanwhile, Kuzmichev can’t escape the idea that Manchester United hasn’t been a viable possibility for a long.

“I think [the Manchester United rumours] were more of a PR thing,” Kuzmichev tells R Sports.

“Sergey would fit better in the Spanish league, which values technical players. He has a great initial speed and excellent technical abilities. I do not see him in England.

“Sergey has yet to realise himself. He has two or three games in which he scores and assists, and everyone says, ‘Now, he’ll be back!” Then there is a downturn.

“When Sergey arrived on the scene, everyone expected him to play like [Lokomotiv teammate] Lesha Batrakov does now. When you compare, it appears that he does not live up to expectations.

“But, on the other side, he’s an intriguing, gifted player who causes danger. If he incorporates [end product] into the final step, he will achieve a new level of quality.

“Too much was expected from him.”