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Manchester City youngster Oleksandr Zinchenko burst into tears when Vincent Kompany announced he was quitting the club.

Zinchenko, 22, revealed how he was mentored by the Belgian defender when Pep Guardiola asked the midfielder to convert into a left-back following a long-term injury to Benjamin Mendy.

So when Kompany (below) announced to his team-mates that he was leaving to become player-manager of Anderlecht in the Wembley dressing room after City had won the FA Cup, there was not a dry eye in the house.

Zinchenko said: “I was crying. Vincent is absolutely a life legend and I am so lucky to have played with him. Can he be a manager here one day? Yes, why not? He can be that because he is the smartest guy I know.

“Last season Vincent helped me a lot – both on the pitch and off. He taught me about the position (left-back) and a few times he stayed with me after training.

(Image: Getty)

“He would work with me for around 40 minutes, just trying to help me understand the spaces and what I have to do.”

Twelve months ago, Zinchenko looked to be on his way out of the Etihad.

Signed from Russian club Ufa for just £1.7million in 2016, he had nailed down a place as an attacking midfielder in Ukraine’s side but the competition for places in Manchester was tougher.

City then accepted a £16m bid from Wolves – but Zinchenko opted to stay.

(Image: VCG via Getty Images)

Guardiola was won over by the sheer will of the Ukrainian’s character and thought the confident kid could be the answer to his problems at left-back.

It is fair to say, Zinchenko has never let down his manager.

He goes into the season having just signed a new five-year contract and has become something of a lucky charm for Guardiola – having won all 22 Premier League games he has started.