German giants Bayern Munich are reportedly keeping a close eye on the situation of a 27-year-old Arsenal player who fell down Mikel Arteta's pecking order last season.
Left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko plugged a glaring gap in the Gunners' XI following his arrival from Manchester City in 2022, as Arteta sought to introduce an inverted left-back into his team.
Prior to Zinchenko's arrival, Arteta had kept faith with Kieran Tierney - whose strengths predominantly come on the overlap - but the Scotsman has consistently struggled with injuries during his Arsenal career.
Zinchenko's first season in North London was a success as Arsenal pushed Manchester City in the Premier League title fight, but the Ukraine international has now lost his status as a regular starter.
Amid concerns over his defensive abilities, Zinchenko fell below the versatile Takehiro Tomiyasu in the final stages of the season and is also facing left-back competition from Jakub Kiwior and Jurrien Timber.
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Vincent Kompany eyeing Manchester City reunion with Zinchenko?
Zinchenko was an unused substitute in three of Arsenal's final four matches of the 2023-24 Premier League season, while coming off the bench for a brief 31-minute cameo in their final-day success over Everton.
The ex-Man City man still has two years left to run on his contract at the Emirates, but Arsenal - who have already tied a plethora of key performers down to new deals - are not believed to be planning talks over a renewal at this stage.
As a result, appropriate bids could be entertained for Zinchenko, and according to The Mirror, Bayern are monitoring developments closely after Vincent Kompany became their new head coach.
The ex-Man City defender briefly played alongside Zinchenko during their time together at the Etihad, and Bayern are known to be seeking out alternative left-back options amid the expectation that Alphonso Davies will soon depart.
The Canada international has refused to extend his deal beyond the end of the 2024-25 campaign, and a move to Real Madrid is expected to materialise either this summer or the next.
Should Arsenal be looking to sell Zinchenko this summer?
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Two goals and four assists from 68 matches in all competitions are hardly world-beating numbers from Zinchenko during his time at Arsenal, but Arteta's love for a versatile player should mean that he has enough credit in the bank for now.
A formidable presence in the heart of the Ukraine midfield, Zinchenko can always be relied upon to break the lines from his inverted left-back role, even if his awareness and defensive positioning are rightly called into question at times.
From a playing sense, there are not many reasons to axe Zinchenko from the ranks; the 27-year-old is a useful squad option, possesses plenty of title-winning experience and is vocal both on and off the field.
No new deal would leave the Gunners hierarchy with a decision to make, though, especially with a new defender expected to be signed this summer, and there is talk of Leeds United's Archie Gray potentially coming in and learning the ways of the left-back.
However, added competition is unlikely to deter Zinchenko, who is not expected to push for a move elsewhere after the first sticky patch of his Arsenal career, and the Gunners should not consider selling unless an astronomical bid comes their way.
Ben Knapton
