Oleksandr Zinchenko’s future at Arsenal seems clarified amid summer transfer speculation.
Zinchenko joined Arsenal from Manchester City in 2022 and quickly became a fan favourite with his inverted left-back role.
Despite a dip in performance last season and rumours of an exit, the Ukrainian defender remains in Mikel Arteta’s plans.
Today, Arsenal’s official website may have confirmed that Zinchenko is not for sale and announced a change in his squad number, which strongly indicates his continued role at the Emirates.
Zinchenko’s new shirt number
Zinchenko expressed his feelings about the change, stating:
“The number 17 is a very special number to me. It was the number I wore as a young player, and I’ve always requested to wear 17 when playing for my country.”
“With 17 being free since Cedric left, I asked if I could change, and thanks to everyone at the club for supporting me.”
In a gesture of goodwill, Arsenal announced that fans who have already purchased the new season’s shirt with Zinchenko’s old number 35 can exchange it for the new number 17 at no extra cost.
“It’s also very important to say that if anyone has bought this season’s new shirt directly from the club with my name and 35 on it, they can get an exchange to my new number.”
This move has been well-received by supporters, who appreciate the club’s effort to accommodate their loyal fan base.
CS opinion
Well, this news confirms that Zinchenko is not for sale and will be present next season, continuing to play a key role for Arsenal.
However, we expect him to improve significantly to climb the pecking order, given the competition from Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori.
