Latest developments
- Atletico Madrid want to sign Arsenal's Oleksandr Zinchenko.
- The full-back has fallen out of favour at the Emirates.
- Borussia Dortmund are also said to be keen on the Ukrainian.
Whisper+ analysis
Authenticity (2/5): Not much to go on
Atletico Madrid are lining up a bid for Oleksandr Zinchenko, while Borussia Dortmund have also been linked with the Arsenal left-back.
This comes from caughtoffside.com, who are very light on details about the story, but a move for Zinchenko has been circling the rumour mill for a while.
Value (4/5): Price coming down
Atleti could have a low-cost transfer on their hands, as Zinchenko has 18 months left on his deal and his market value has dropped to £25 million.
Add in that Zinchenko is no longer crucial to Mikel Arteta, who prefers Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly, Arsenal could let him go for less than £20 million.
Suitability (4.5/5): Suits a 4-4-2
Still only 28, Zinchenko has shown the ability to play as a more “traditional” full-back, play a more inverted role and push up into midfield, as he often does for Ukraine.
That will all be useful to Diego Simeone, who has brought back a 4-4-2 system to his team and could play Zinchenko as an LB or LM.
Upgrade? (4.5/5): Can make position his
Premier League veteran Cesar Azpilicueta filled in at left-back in midweek, while neither recognised lefties Javi Galan nor Reinildo Mandava have cemented themselves in the position this term.
His experience and leadership qualities, as national team captain, make Zinchenko a good fit to come in and make the spot his own.
Logic (4/5): Needs to be playing
At his age, Zinchenko will be wanting to play every week, and Arsenal's preference for their new talent makes a move a better choice than fighting for his place in North London.
One could argue Los Colchoneros don't need another full-back, but the lack of a settled defence will not help their title challenge this season.
Whisper+ verdict: 19/25
A smart move for the buying and selling clubs, plus the player. All we need now is some reliable source material.
