West Ham in two-horse race to sign Manchester City full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko – report
West Ham and Arsenal are involved in a two-horse race for the signing of Manchester City full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, according to Evening Standard.
The 25-year-old had put his transfer speculation on hold as his priority was to ensure that Ukraine qualifies for the World Cup.
Now with Wales knocking out Zinchenko’s team, the clubs want to know about the future plans of the Ukraine international.
As per the report, both sides are a source of attraction for the former PSV Eindhoven defender and it is believed that Man City’s manager Pep Guardiola will not stand in his way if either of those clubs comes with a substantial bid.
The Irons want Zinchenko for their left-back spot now and further down the line, whereas Arsenal have promised to play him in midfield more – so it could depend on what he wants personally.
If West Ham are successful in bringing Zinchenko to the club, they are guaranteed to have a left-back that will be staying there for many years.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk man will bring Premier League winning experience to the London Stadium and will be one of the players that can change the mentality within the dressing room.
With players like Zinchenko in the team, who have been a part of a winning culture at Manchester City, it is certain to impact the fellow players into thinking about winning football matches regardless of the opposition.
However, his own performances will remain a point of scrutiny as, despite the Premier League winning experience, it remains to be seen how the 25-year-old performs regularly in the first team.
After the injuries and the personal problems of Benjamin Mendy, the 25-year-old was never able to maintain a regular first-team spot under Guardiola
Until now, the former Barcelona manager has preferred the likes of Fabian Delph, Danilo, and Joao Cancelo over Zinchenko in the left-back position over the course of the last few seasons.
In other West Ham news, signing one of the summer transfer targets could help the men’s side keep hold of Declan Rice long-term.
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