Oleksandr Zinchenko has been linked to Arsenal for quite some time now. Mikel Arteta is pushing for the signing, and with good reason as well.
Zinchenko joined Manchester City for a reported fee of around £1.7 million in 2016. He began his career as an attacking midfielder, but under Pep Guardiola he switched to a left-sided fullback.
Since then, he has been a part of the team that won an FA Cup, four League Cups, and four Premier League titles. He was a starter in the UCL Final of 2021 against Chelsea. He has 2 goals and 12 assists to his name while playing for the Cityzens.
His move to Arsenal is now a done deal. The Arsenal faithful should look forward to it for a number of reasons.
Zinchenko Is Quite Versatile
Oleksandr Zinchenko is equally capable of playing in central midfield and left-back. He plays as a midfielder in his national team, and has shown himself to be quite good in that role. Arsenal can do with a player like him, especially given Granit Xhaka’s inconsistency. Similarly, he can slot in at left-back too if required.
Kieran Tierney has shown himself to be a quality player but has struggled with injuries. Nuno Tavares was signed as a backup option, but he has failed to impress the Gunners. Signing Zinchenko can help Arteta fix two positions with one player.
An Experienced Leader
On the other hand, Zinchenko adds experience to the youthful Gunners squad. Although he is 26 himself, he has played a lot of competitive football at the highest level. Arsenal have a young team, and youngsters like Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Ben White, and so on can learn a lot from him. The Ukrainian’s leadership skills are quite evident too as he has captained his national team.
Tactical Familiarity
Zinchenko is also familiar with Arteta’s tactical philosophy as well, having been together with the Spaniard at the Etihad. The emphasis on inverted fullbacks who can create is a recurring theme in Arteta’s tactical patterns. Zinchenko is familiar with that and can bed in nicely with the squad.
Due to the above points, Zinchenko has the potential to elevate Arsenal. The North Londoners will look to secure a top 4 finish after narrowly missing out last season.
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