Arsenal midfielder Bukayo Saka has detailed how Oleksandr Zinchenko has transformed the squad since his arrival, demonstrating Pep Guardiola’s error in letting the defender leave last summer.
The Ukraine international has helped the Gunners transform from top-four outsiders to genuine title contenders.
The 26-year-old has been a key member of the side that has continued to produce results under Mikel Arteta, playing as an inverted full-back. Zinchenko recently revealed that he made a private vow to join the Spaniard after leaving Manchester City a few years ago.
“I remember when Mikel was leaving City, I didn’t hold my emotions back,” he told the Daily Mail. I couldn’t because this guy meant so much to me..
He taught me a lot, he was an incredible human being, and the way he worked with us young players after every single training session, the advice he gave everyone, was extremely important to me.
“I told my friends, ‘If I ever leave City and stay in the Premier League, there will only be one manager: Mikel Arteta.'”
Zinchenko certainly fulfilled that wish by signing with Arsenal in the summer, a move that appears to be good business for the north London club. As a result, as Saka suggests, Guardiola may have made a huge mistake in the title race..
Before England’s European Championship qualifier against Ukraine tonight (Sunday), the Arsenal winger said: “Zinchenko brought quality, but he also brought a lot more. You can see how he controls the game and how he plays. He’s a fantastic player. He has excellent leadership qualities, so he is greatly assisting us on all fronts.
As players who have won the league, they [Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus] have brought that winning mentality to us. They understand how we feel in difficult situations and can encourage us because we have a lot of young players. They are extremely beneficial to our mental health.”
Leave a Reply