Arsenal could look to offer defender Oleksandr Zinchenko to Borussia Dortmund this month as they look to offload the player from their payroll with the view of bringing in fee to invest in new players. This is as per reports from Patrick Berger of Sky Sports Germany, who had earlier claimed that Dortmund were considering a loan move for Zinchenko.
Now, Florian Plettenberg has added that the Ukrainian remains an option for Dortmund should their pursuit of Blues defender Renato Veiga fall through. Another hurdle in a potential deal would be the Gunners’ unwillingness to let their player go on a short-term deal, but would be willing to sell the player on a permanent basis. As a result, they are reportedly holding out for £17 million for Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Having been a mainstay in the Arsenal squad in the 2022/23 season when he just joined from Manchester City, Oleksandr Zinchenko has been reduced to a fringe player currently. His role has been reduced to playing a mere 408 minutes in 13 games this season, with the main reason for his inclusion being an injury-stricken backline.
Additionally, Mikel Arteta is keen to create the perfect environment for Myles Lewis-Skelly to progress in the first team, which could open the door for one of Zinchenko, Kieran Tierney, or Jakub Kiwior to depart the club.
Zinchenko’s time at Arsenal so far
Oleksandr Zinchenko was onboarded from Man City in July 2022 for a £30 million fee, potentially rising to £32 million. He was the starting left-back in the first season, where Arteta used him to invert into midfield, with Granit Xhaka dropping back into defense to cover for him.
This worked wonders as Arsenal went from fifth in the table in 2021/22 to runners-up in the following season. The Ukrainian’s ability to drift into midfield and allow the Gunners to hold a more attacking shape wreaked havoc in the league, before clubs sort of figured the strategy out and started exploiting the space Zinchenko left behind him.
Overall, he has made 81 appearances for the Gunners across competitions, scoring two goals and providing four assists as well. Aged just 28, his time at the Emirates Stadium might be coming to an end, but he still would have plenty value to offer several other top clubs across Europe.
