Once likened to Cristiano Ronaldo and a former Red Devils trialist, all roads seemed to lead to Manchester United at one point for this talented young forward.
But not so much these days. Not anymore, anyway.
Five years have passed since Sergei Pinyaev wore the red of Manchester United during a brief trial period.
And while work permit issues prevented him from signing on the dotted line at the Premier League giants back then, the main issue these days appears to be that Pinyaev has simply not developed as many over in Russia had hoped.
While the Lokomotiv Moscow winger has six goals and five assists to show from 20 appearances this term, most of those have come in the domestic cups. If you only look at Pinyaev’s form in the Russian Premier League, his tally stands at an underwhelming one goal in 14 games.
Hardly the sort of returns which justifies suggestions that Pinyaev could be Russia’s answer to Cristiano Ronaldo, as the iconic Andriy Arshavin indicated back in happier times.
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Manchester United move ruled out for Sergei Pinyaev
Vladimir Kuzmichev – an agent and one of the most connected figures in Russian football – cannot help but feel that the ship has left the harbour as far.
Lokomotiv value Pinyaev at £25 million. A fee that, on current form, looks more highly overpriced.
Kuzmichev, meanwhile, cannot shake the feeling that Man United hasn’t really been a realistic option for a while now.
“I think [those Man United rumours] were more a PR thing,” Kuzmichev tells R Sports.
“The Spanish league would suit Sergey better because they really like technical players there. He has a high starting speed, good technical qualities. I don’t see him in England.
“Sergey hasn’t been able to realise himself yet. He has two or three games when he scores and assists and everyone says; ‘Now, he’ll be back!’. And then there’s a decline.
“When Sergey came [onto the scene], everyone expected from him the game that [Lokomotiv teammate] Lesha Batrakov is showing today. If you compare, it seems like he doesn’t live up to expectations.
“But, on the other hand, he is an interesting, talented player who creates danger. If he adds [end product] in the final stage, he will reach a new level in quality.
“Too much was expected from him.”
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Andrei Kanchelskis thinks Man United move is over for Russia starlet
Andrei Kanchelskis, the former Man United winger, tends to share Kuzmichev’s pessimism.
The two-time Premier League winner feels that, with Premier League clubs avoiding doing business with their Russian counterparts amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict, there is not much chance of Man United putting a hefty sum in Lokomotiv Moscow’s coffers.
In an ideal world, Kanchelskis would love Pinyaev to continue his Old Trafford legacy. But, for a variety of reasons, that just isn’t going to happen any time soon.
“He doesn’t have any great chance of getting there,” Kanchelskis told Sport24 back in 2023. “I would like a Russian footballer to continue my story at Manchester United, but this is unlikely.
“There will be no (Russian player) there for the next 25 years.”
Man United are pursuing some of the game’s most exciting teenage talents, however, even if Pinyaev appears to have missed the boat.
River Plate’s Franco Mastantuono is a United target after shining in Argentina. Ruben Amorim’s side are pursuing Rosenborg starlet Sverre Nypan too, ahead of a likely switch in the New Year.
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