Oleksandr Zinchenko | Joins Arsenal for £30m

[alexmcity]

We were reluctant to sell Ake, therefore we wanted a fee Chelsea wouldn't pay. We weren't reluctant to sell Zinch, therefore we wanted a fee Arsenal would pay. Why?

Because Pep thinks we can get a better LB than Zinch (it's much more difficult to get a better 4th choice CB than Ake who can play at LB too), and if we do it then we couldn't guarantee enough playing time to Zinch. Zinch played about 20 full games last season. The new LB is likely to play more injuries permitting. Also, Ake stays and can be used there too. Therefore, we let Zinch go. It's not rocket science, is it?

Good luck to him at Arsenal. Be interesting to see whether he can establish himself as a starter (in their midfield).

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

A credit to our club and his country.

He will be missed and wish him and his family all the best.

Incredible to think he won more than Bell, Lee, Summerbee.

No doubt his first Prem goal will come against us!!

Was hoping for £35m though.

 

[dachoosen1]

Love the guy but he had a poor season last year which is understandable. Think he wanted the move for more minutes you cant really blame him. Ake would have been a bigger loss as he can play cb and lb and seemed to be preferred to zinc at lb. Good move all round we got a great fee, arsenal are getting a model pro who can play multiple positions and zinc is getting the game time he deserves. Was hoping zinc would stay but hopefully Lewis or Wilson-Esbrand will get some game time now Lewis has looked excellent whenever I see him.

 

[andyhinch]

Got to be one of our best buys, wish him all the best and hope we sort a replacement out sooner rather than later.

 

[Jokithedruid]

A credit to our club and his country.

He will be missed and wish him and his family all the best.

Incredible to think he won more than Bell, Lee, Summerbee.

No doubt his first Prem goal will come against us!!

Was hoping for £35m though.

Why are we selling now and not when we’ve secured a lb?

Are we that confident in a Cucurella deal?

 

[razman]

erm

 

[Jokithedruid]

erm

Oh?

 

[samuelyeboah]

erm

yeah cucurella negotiations can't be going well. i'd be disappointed if we didn't add a fullback at all this summer.

Somehow we always "shelve" the plans of getting that leftback

 

[Gobshiight]

erm

Unexpected

 

[Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese]

I think the last few years have shown we are prepared to walk away and do without rather than have our pants pulled down over a new player. My guess is Brighton may get one improved offer and that's it. I'd be delighted if Zin stayed.

 

[Sir peace frog]

maybe thats a warning shot to cucurella , push for a move or we move on and your chance is gone , or a message to brighton we wont pay over the odds because we might be losing zinc

 

[alexmcity]

yeah cucurella negotiations can't be going well. i'd be disappointed if we didn't add a fullback at all this summer.

Somehow we always "shelve" the plans of getting that leftback

Maybe we don't want to pay 50m+ for Cucu.

 

[Jokithedruid]

yeah cucurella negotiations can't be going well. i'd be disappointed if we didn't add a fullback at all this summer.

Somehow we always "shelve" the plans of getting that leftback

Well, seems like Bloom has a little bit of Levy in him and we will learn from this (if we walk away) to never deal with Brighton again.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Why are we selling now and not when we’ve secured a lb?

Are we that confident in a Cucurella deal?

Because we want a better left back and we have to be confident the club will achieve its intention.

People want assurances over Cucurella, when the only assurance which can be given is that he wants to join and the Club will do what it can to bring it over the line.

If nothing else, we should hear some sort of official bid before the weekend.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Oh?

Love it, haha.

 

[Dr Jacoby]

I think he’ll stay and another club will bid £48m for him in a few seasons’ time…

 

[alexmcity]

Brighton might be taking the piss, wanting say 55m.

 

[JTFactsPlz]

Sorry, but we need a LB whether or not Zin stays. I love Zin and would be happy for him to stay but not if that means we don't get a proper LB. The rumours re City going for a LB have been going on for so long, why is this suddenly dependent on Zinny going? I'm so confused re WTF the club are up to on this front. If we go yet another season without a proper LB who can overlap it seems like a poor decision, tbh.

 

[Lucidinho]

Well, seems like Bloom has a little bit of Levy in him and we will learn from this (if we walk away) to never deal with Brighton again.

I think he has the right to do that as Cucu has only fulfilled one year of his contract they wont let him go easy.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

The departure of Zin to me indicates two scenarios, one less likely than the other.
The first is that despite denials everything has already been done very, very discreetly, between Bloom and Txixi, Potter and Pep (indirectly), and that a deal is in place behind the scenes, with an agreed fee, the exact nature of which neither set of supporters will most likely ever know. There'll be figures bandied around in the media to make both sets of supporters feel good, doubtless. Only thing being waited for: for them to get a decent full back.
Second scenario is that there is no deal whatsoever in place or even progressing for Cucu, but that Aké's remaining with us was dependent on — or at least shored up by — assurances of more game time, if not at centre half, then at left back. He is well capable of occupying this position, and has proven it. He has weaknesses where Zin had strengths, but he also has strengths where Zin had weaknesses. I agree that this is the less plausible of the two.
Worst case scenario: there is also Cancelo. Not because he's no good on the left, far from it, but because if Walker gets injured again we are in the shit.
If neither scenario can be envisaged, and if no-one else is being seriously looked at, then I have to say that I'm completely nonplussed by Zin's departure.