Kevin Campbell has claimed that Kieran Tierney and Granit Xhaka are ‘in trouble’ if Arsenal secure Oleksandr Zinchenko’s transfer from Manchester City, as he told the Highbury Squad.
Arsenal and Manchester City have seemingly agreed on a £30 million deal for Zinchenko and Campbell thinks the ‘gifted footballer’ will improve the team.
With Nuno Tavares struggling last season and Tierney spending more time in the treatment room than the field of play, then it’s an area of the pitch Mikel Arteta needed to address.
The former midfielder has once again decided to knock on the door of Man City’s, with Arsenal’s technical director, Edu Gaspar, close to securing yet another Champions League player for the club after Gabriel Jesus’ arrival.
Campbell shared what Zinchenko can bring to the table at the Emirates and what his imminent arrival means for the likes of Tierney and Xhaka going forward.
“Kieran Tierney, what is it, three weeks before the season starts? But if he’s not right, then we don’t have to push him,” said Campbell.
“Zinchenko, technically, is a gifted footballer. He can play left-back and midfield. When you eventually get a player like Zinchenko, then you can stick him in any one of those two positions and he will improve us. He is used to playing that progressive game at Manchester City.
“I don’t think it matters where he plays. He was really impressive in midfield for Ukraine. Really impressive. He can pick a pass. He’s technically really good. But I think he might play more games at fullback.
“They are both (Tierney and Xhaka) in trouble and that’s the way it should be. They are both in trouble. At the end of the day, the manager has to pick the best team. Technically, Xhaka is a good player, but I don’t think he is technically better than Zinchenko – there should be competition for every spot and that’s what we are going to get.”
WHERE WILL ZINCHENKO PLAY?
The fact that Zinchenko can play multiple positions, and that very well, would have been one of the main reasons why Arteta wants to bring him to the club.
But where will he play? At Manchester City, he has mainly been used as a left-sided fullback, but for his country, it’s a midfield role for the versatile star.
If Tierney is fully fit, then he starts on a regular basis at left-back, so that leaves Zinchenko earning more minutes in the middle of the pitch.
Whilst Zinchenko would argue that he pushes ahead of Xhaka, from then on, it’s a serious fight for places because it’s the defensive machine Thomas Partey and then two others playing.
Martin Odegaard had an outstanding first full campaign at Arsenal last season, whilst Emile Smith Rowe has found his minutes being used on the left flank, with Fabio Vieira another summer purchase by Arteta.
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