'I still want to play': Oleksandr Zinchenko makes Arsenal admission amid transfer links

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Evening Standard

·13 de agosto de 2025

'I still want to play': Oleksandr Zinchenko makes Arsenal admission amid transfer links

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Oleksandr Zinchenko has opened up on his struggle for game time at Arsenal, calling the previous campaign the “worst I ever experienced”.

The Ukrainian, who moved to north London from Manchester City for £30million back in 2022, made 23 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners last term, falling behind Myles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori in the pecking order at left-back.

Zinchenko featured just 15 times in the Premier League last season as Arsenal finished second behind runaway champions Liverpool. In the 2023-2024 season, he played 35 games in all competitions.

Jakub Kiwior and Jurrien Timber have all also filled in at left-back during Mikel Arteta’s reign at the Emirates Stadium.

Now, Zinchenko, in his new autobiography ‘Believe’, has written that he felt last season was his worst to date.

"I was basically out of the starting XI altogether, bar a few isolated matches," Zinchenko said.

"In pure personal terms, it was easily the worst season I ever experienced as a professional. A player who doesn’t play is nothing.”

The Ukraine international, who has 74 senior caps for his country, placed the blame on his own shoulders rather than blaming anyone specific for his lack of minutes.

"I’ve never been a player who runs to the manager, complains or asks tonnes of questions,” Zinchenko continued.

“I can only blame myself. If I don’t play, it means that I didn’t work hard enough, didn’t do enough, didn’t play well enough.

"Let’s see what time will bring. Because I still want to play football. I want to enjoy the game and come back with a smile on my face in the evening."

Zinchenko started just one of Arsenal’s pre-season games this summer - against AC Milan - and since then, he has been restricted to substitute cameos in the remaining games.

Rumours have continued to swirl around Zinchenko’s future at the Emirates Stadium, with previous reports in Italy linking him with a move to AC Milan, while The Athletic have reported that the Ukrainian is “free to leave” Arsenal, although he is considering letting his contract run down with just a year left on his current deal.

He was an unused substitute in the Emirates Cup win over Athletic Club, where new star striker Viktor Gyokeres scored his first goal for the club.

Arsenal begin their Premier League campaign with a trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United, where Gyokeres is in line to make his top-flight debut, up against another man the Gunners had on their strikers’ shortlist, Benjamin Sesko, who could feature for Ruben Amorim’s side.