In a recent interview with Football Insider, Noel Whelan urged Arsenal to move in for Manchester City left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko this summer. Whelan said,
“He’s the kind of player they need.
“He is also someone who knows what playing in Europe is all about. He’s had plenty of experience of that with Man City.
“We know he can play in multiple positions, there’s options for Mikel Arteta. It makes that fee more acceptable because he can play in three positions rather than just one.
“He’s a very talented player, easy on the eye, links up well – very well suited to Arsenal.
“I think he’d be a massive plus for Arsenal if they can get him through the door this summer.”
Zinchenko’s Impressive Form At Manchester Last Season
Zinchenko had a brilliant campaign at the Etihad Stadium as he helped Man City win another Premier League title. The Ukraine international was involved in 28 matches for the Mancunian giants last season, picking up five assists in the process across multiple competitions.
The 25-year-old did well to average 1.3 tackles, 0.9 interceptions, 0.7 clearances, 0.8 shots and 1.1 key passes per game in the Premier League. He was even accurate when distributing the ball from the left flank, as evidenced by his pass success rate of 90.7% in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
What Will Zinchenko Add To Arsenal Boss Mikel Arteta’s Team?
Zinchenko can be a decent defender at the back as he is a solid tackler of the ball and can earn the ball back for his side inside his half. The Ukraine international can strike the ball well from long range and is a decent playmaker down the left flank.
Hence, a left-back like Zinchenko will be a good acquisition for the Gunners as he will offer some serious competition for Kieran Tierney at the North London club in the coming seasons.
At 25, Zinchenko has his best years ahead of him, so Mikel Arteta should think about getting him on board in this off-season. He will add more bite and steel to Arsenal‘s backline and could help the London club compete across all competitions over the next few years.
