Mansion Sports – Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea have all been left disappointed in their efforts to sign Aleksey Batrakov, with Paris Saint-Germain now moving closer to securing the signature of the young Russian player.

The Premier League trio have monitored the 20-year-old for a long time, but strict regulations related to transfers from Russian clubs have effectively given the French champions a significant advantage.

Premier League Trio Blocked by Sanctions

England's biggest clubs find themselves in a difficult position despite conducting intensive scouting of the Lokomotiv Moscow forward.

Although scouts throughout the league regard Batrakov as one of the finest young talents in world football, the sanctions currently in place in England have created a significant obstacle.

Regulations arising from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine mean that Premier League clubs have no direct route to pay transfer fees to Russian entities.

This legal obstacle was recently illustrated in the Nikola Vlasic case involving West Ham, where it was determined that payment of outstanding fees was objectively impossible under English law.

While Manchester City and Chelsea attempted to explore possibilities through their multi-club networks and Manchester United considered loan arrangements, none of those options provided a workable solution to circumvent the restrictions.

PSG in the Leading Position

According to TEAMtalk, while the English clubs are forced to watch from a distance, Ligue 1 champions PSG have moved quickly to take advantage of the situation.

Unlike Premier League clubs, the Paris-based side is permitted to conduct transactions with Russian clubs.

This has allowed sporting advisor Luis Campos to lead an aggressive effort to recruit the young player, who is viewed as having the potential to reach the highest level of European football.

The French club previously achieved success in this market after signing goalkeeper Matvey Safonov from Krasnodar in 2024.

Safonov became part of the squad that won the Champions League title after defeating Arsenal, proving that recruitment from the Russian league can deliver immediate results at the highest level.

Now, Batrakov appears ready to follow that path as the next major Russian player to join Parc des Princes.

Agent Confirms Deal Is 95 Percent Complete

The transfer has entered its final stages, with the player's representative, Dmitry Cheltsov, confirming that negotiations are at a very advanced stage.

The agent revealed that discussions between the two clubs have progressed intensively, with the transfer fee and salary expectations largely agreed upon.

It appears that only minor details remain before the Russian international is officially unveiled in Paris.

"It is time to say that at the level of 95 percent, Batrakov will join PSG. The executives of PSG and Lokomotiv have held more than 10 conversations by telephone. This week, Campos will travel to Moscow to finalize the transfer. At this point, divine intervention is required to derail this transaction: €25 million for the transfer and approximately €5 million to €6 million for salary," Cheltsov revealed.

The Perfect Figure for Luis Enrique

Batrakov's statistical record is highly impressive, with 33 goals and 22 assists in 79 appearances for Lokomotiv.

His versatility allows him to play effectively as an attacking midfielder as well as in various positions across the forward line, making him an ideal target for Luis Enrique's flexible tactical system.

The PSG coach prioritizes technical ability and young players with significant potential, two qualities that the 20-year-old possesses in abundance.

The Russian wonderkid recorded 17 goals and 13 assists in just 36 appearances during his most recent season, further demonstrating his readiness to take the step into one of Europe's major leagues.

As PSG prepare to pay the reported €25 million transfer fee, England's biggest clubs can now only reflect on what might have been as one of the world's most exciting young talents slips from their grasp.