Former Russia winger Andrei Kanchelskis feels outgoing Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini could take Zenit St. Petersburg to different heights if he takes the reins of the club this summer.
The Chilean will leave Manchester City at the end of the season to make way for Pep Guardiola, and the former Manchester United winger feels Zenit should snap up the Premier League winning manager as soon as possible.
Kanchelskis, who is currently coaching Solyaris Moscow in the Russian second division, believes Pellegrini is a much better bet than Andre Villas-Boas, who is also set to leave at the end of the season, for the Russian outfit.
And he is confident that the outgoing Manchester City boss might help Zenit to move to a different level if he takes charge of the club ahead of the 2016/17 campaign.
Speaking to Reuters, the former winger said: “Pellegrini is a great coach and I am one hundred per cent sure that at all levels he is a much better manager than Villas-Boas.
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“I don’t know how quickly the Chilean will adapt to Russia, but he can certainly take Zenit to a higher level."
Zenit are said to be interested in snapping up the outgoing Manchester City boss, and are reportedly ready to offer him a contract worth €3.5m per season.
Pellegrini won the Premier League title with Manchester City during the 2013/14 campaign, and has won the League Cup twice, including this season.
