Arsenal are reportedly ready to let left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko leave the club this summer in a slightly surprising transfer decision.
The Gunners only signed Zinchenko from rivals Manchester City last season, and he made a strong start to life at the Emirates Stadium, though his second year in Mikel Arteta’s side has perhaps been a bit less convincing.
Zinchenko has struggled for both fitness and form, and it now seems Arsenal would be willing to offload him for around €45million this summer, according to Football Transfers.
The report adds that Newcastle United could be keen to keep Zinchenko in the Premier League, while there might also be interest from abroad in the form of Bayern Munich.
Zinchenko transfer: Selling the left-back seems like a risk for Arsenal
One imagines most Gunners fans would probably rather see Zinchenko stay at the club, even if the Ukraine international hasn’t always covered himself in glory with some of his defensive decision-making.
It’s hard to replace what he offers in that inverted full-back role, however, as the 27-year-old is a supremely intelligent footballer with great technique and quality on the ball, offering some fine passing when he drifts into the middle.
At the same time, though, some Arsenal fans might argue that they’ve actually coped well and looked more solid at the back while he’s been out injured, with Jakub Kiwior doing a fine job covering the left-back position.
Zinchenko could be a tempting option for other top clubs, with Bayern in particular facing a worrying situation this summer as Alphonso Davies is heading towards the final year of his contract and may need replacing.
Newcastle, meanwhile, will want to bring in an upgrade on Dan Burn if they are to make that step up to challenging for the top four and major silverware every season.