In a recent report, The Guardian has stated that Oleksandr Zinchenko of Manchester City could exit Etihad Stadium as Arsenal remain in talks over a deal. It is understood that the Gunners could successfully make the deal happen as they would be offering Zinchenko a different position, seemingly in the central areas of the pitch.
Zinchenko’s Decent Campaign With Manchester City Last Season
Zinchenko has enjoyed a successful campaign at the Etihad Stadium last season as he helped Man City win the Premier League title. He has featured in 28 matches for the Mancunian outfit during this campaign, picking up five assists in the process across all competitions.
The 48-time Ukraine international has made the most out of his appearances, often coming off the bench, averaging 1.3 tackles, 0.9 interceptions, 0.7 clearances, 0.8 shots, 1.1 key passes and 0.4 dribbles per game in the Premier League. He has been impressive with distributing the ball after making 90.7% of his attempted passes in the top tier of English football (stats via whoscored).
Should Guardiola Cut Him Loose?
Zinchenko is a solid tackler of the ball and can time his tackles well. He can even make some clever interceptions to earn the ball back for his teammates. The Ukrainian defender excels at holding on to the ball and making some impressive runs down the left flank. He is excellent at distributing possession and playing his way out from the back.
The 25-year-old is primarily a left-back but remains versatile in featuring as a left-sided wide midfielder or in the central midfield position. He has performed exceptionally under Guardiola but could never rise up the ranks to earn a place in the starting XI and this has certainly been the pivotal reason for him demanding an exit.
A move to the Emirates Stadium could see him play as a wide midfielder but more importantly, he would be guaranteed a starting position, so Pep Guardiola should let him go if the Gunners offer a justified transfer fee.
