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Is Oleksandr Zinchenko about to justify reported Wolves snub with Real Betis move?

Nuno Espirito Santo, the Wolverhampton Wanderers manager looks on during the pre-season friendly match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Villarea...
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Wolverhampton Wanderers reportedly tried and failed to sign Zinchenko from Premier League champions Manchester City this summer.

Oleksandr Zinchenko #35 of Manchester City chases the ball against the Borussia Dortmund during an International Champions Cup match at Soldier Field on July 20, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have managed to lure some of Portugal’s biggest starts to Molineux as well as the Mexico number nine – but Oleksandar Zinchenko is one they could not lure to the Black Country.

Wolves agreed a £16 million fee with Manchester City to sign the Ukrainian international. But the Telegraph (live blog, 10.43am) reported that Zinchenko failed to turn up for a medical on transfer deadline day last week with personal terms believed to be a sticking point.

Now, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are embarking on one of the most ambitious projects around under their billionaire Chinese owners with European qualification most certainly on the agenda. That will take some time, however.

And Zinchenko could be playing European football next month. That’s if he makes the move to Real Betis. According to The Mirror, the ambitious Andalusians are hoping to sign the 21-year-old on loan for the 2018/19 season and this could justify his decision to snub Wolves.

Manchester City's Ukrainian midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko (R) vies with Newcastle United's Spanish midfielder Javier Manquillo during the English Premier League football match between...

Betis qualified for the Europa League last season, while Wolves will have to settle for just playing domestically this year.

Zinchenko, meanwhile, wants a long-term future at City and a loan spell at Betis, whose manager Quique Setien could get the best out of his intelligent distribution and impressive positional sense, will stand him in good stead for a reunion with Pep Guardiola next year too.

Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos, left, and Manchester City midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko vie the ball during the second half of the International Champions Cup match on July 26, 2017...