Oleksandr Zinchenko: Get the inside track on the Manchester City starlet wanted by Wolves
Wolves have made a club-record £16m bid for Manchester City youngster Oleksandr Zinchenko, get to know more about him here.
We spoke with Manchester City blogger Ric Turner of Bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk, to get an insight into the Ukrainian.
See what he had to say here.
What sort of qualities can Wolves fans expect from Zinchenko?
Zinchenko has good close control, and retains possession well.
How often has he really featured at the Etihad since joining? He's not someone the casual football fan will know that well?
Prior to joining City, he played as a number ten but was always going to find himself low down in the pecking order in that position in a squad containing the likes of David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva.
Injuries to Benjamin Mendy and Fabian Delph meant that Guardiola experimented with him as a left back, and to be fair he never let us down playing in an unfamiliar position.
Why has he struggled to break into Pep Guardiola's Premier League XI?
It's very difficult for any young player to break into our starting XI, given the strength in depth we have.
Judging from what you've seen, does he have the ability to become a star in the top flight?
As we've not seen him in his preferred position, as an attacking midfielder, it's difficult to say for certain.
He's looked very competent as a back-up left-back, but I'm looking forward to seeing how he does at Wolves.
What are his weaknesses?
A lack of pace, and he needs to be stronger on the ball but that will come with age.
Do you think £16m is the right kind of price for both parties regarding the Ukrainian?
Yes, I think in the current market £16m is a decent deal for both parties.
Wolves obviously had huge success playing a 3-4-3 formation last season with the ball moving quickly on the floor, do you think this style of football will suit Zinchenko if he moves to Molineux?
He's certainly comfortable in possession so should suit Wolves' style of play. Not entirely sure where they plan to use him though!
Will you be disappointed to see him leave Man City? And why?
He was an incredibly popular member of the squad with his team mates, but he's opportunities at City would've been greatly restricted next season so I think it's in his best interests to move.
I wish him all the best.
You can follow Ric by searching for @bluemoon_mcfc on Twitter.
