Manchester City should only consider selling Oleksandr Zinchenko to Wolves on one condition

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Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko has been linked with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

According to a report by Sky Sports (live transfer thread, July 6^th at 16:16), Wolverhampton Wanderers have launched a £16 million bid for Manchester City youngster Oleksandr Zinchenko.

The report claims that City appear willing to let him leave despite the player breaking into the first-team squad last season, making a total of 16 appearances in all competitions.

The Ukraine international looked a top prospect for City and has made great strides under boss Pep Guardiola, looking equally comfortable in a fullback role or when pushed into midfield.

Oleksandar provides the Citizens with cover for more than one position and he boasts plenty of potential, therefore it would seem rather bizarre should they allow him to move on this summer.

The reported fee of £16 million is seemingly pocket change for City’s wealthy billionaire owners, so the size of the fee shouldn’t really be the sole reason behind his potential exit.

With the player being just 21 and having briefly come through the clubs’ youth ranks, City should only consider selling him if they include some sort of buy-back clause in his contract.

Zinchenko would find first-team opportunities easier to come by at Wolves, and a regular starting spot at Molineux under Nuno Esperito Santos could aid his development further.

Upon joining City he was already tipped for big things, but the path to a first-team spot is more difficult and Zinchenko may feel he would be better off departing the club even if only as a short-term option.

Teams such as Real Madrid have benefitted greatly from such a policy of inserting buy-back clauses, with Daniel Carvajal and Alvaro Morata two recognised talents to leave the Bernabeu only to return a year or two later.

City would be wise to seek a similar deal with Wolves if they are to consider selling the Ukrainian, as they could later regret selling him for what can be deemed a fairly low price in today’s financial climate.