Arsenal Step Up Efforts To Sign Oleksandr Zinchenko But Face Competition

The versatile Manchester City star and Ukrainian midfield maestro Oleksandr Zinchenko is hotly pursued by Arsenal and West Ham, according to the Standard.

Arsenal have been seeking cover for the injury prone Kieran Tierney, and the jack-of-all-trades Ukrainian offers this in abundance, being able to perform to a high level at both left back and left centre midfield. 

The Gunners’ season was derailed with the injury to the Scotland International, along with the injury of Thomas Partey. The potential signing of the 25-year-old helps to address cover in both positions, killing two birds with one stone as Arteta seeks to push towards Champions League football next season. 

Zinchenko faced heartbreak as Ukraine failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup

Ukraine suffered heartbreak against Wales on Sunday, so no doubt that the Manchester City man will be focusing on a summer break and disconnecting from football, before he throws himself into any transfer. However, like with Gabriel Jesus, Zinchenko is a man Arteta knows well, which will serve the Gunners in good stead for any push for the man signed from FK Ufa in 2016.

The fullback has been on the radar of those at N5 for quite some time. Arsenal nearly signed a 17-year-old Zinchenko, with the player’s agent Sandor Varga claiming that after a youth game between Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk, legendary Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger called him and stated “I need Zinchenko”. 

Whether a move materialises is yet to be seen, however, at this stage in his career, the Ukrainian will be seeking assurances of regular game-time wherever he places, and will surely be seeking to improve upon his 15 premier league appearances from the season just gone. If this is to be under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage, or free from the Etihad nest, time will tell.