Arsenal hold talks with “future superstar” who could replace Zinchenko

Arsenal might still be in with a chance of lifting the Premier League title this weekend, but with it looking rather unlikely, planning for an important summer of transfers has already begun.

The Gunners have generally got their recruitment right over the last couple of years, with Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and Leandro Trossard just some of the highlights, but the future of one ace who joined less than two years ago already looks up in the air.

Oleksandr Zinchenko joined Mikel Arteta’s north London revolution in the summer of 2022, but after some high-profile defensive blunders, including one at Anfield that led to Gary Neville labelling him a “liability,” his role in the team is up in the air, and based on recent reports, he could soon be replaced.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Arsenal are interested in Fenerbahçe full-back Ferdi Kadıoğlu, with talks between the club and the player’s representatives “ongoing.”

The journalist has revealed that the Gunners are looking to sort out an “agreement on personal terms” with the player first and have not spoken to the Turkish club yet.

Tavolieri has not revealed a potential price that the north Londoners might have to pay to get their man, but a previous report from earlier this month claimed that the fee will be around £30m.

There is an element of risk in paying that much money for a player from outside of Europe’s top five leagues, but with Zinchenko clearly out of favour with Arteta and starting just three of the last 13 games, it could be worth it.

How Ferdi Kadıoğlu compares to Oleksandr Zinchenko

Now, if Kadıoğlu does arrive in north London with the intent of finally replacing Zinchenko at Arsenal, how does he compare to the Ukrainian?

Well, when it comes to their attacking output on the pitch, there’s no competition.

In 49 appearances this season, the Arnhem-born gem has scored three goals and provided five assists, whereas the former Manchester City man has provided two assists and scored just one goal in 34 games.

It isn’t just a one-off win for Sarı Kanaryalar’s “future superstar” either, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, as he scored four goals and provided five assists in 48 appearances last season, while the Gunners’ left-back once again managed just one goal and two assists in 33 games.

Another critical advantage the Fenerbahçe prospect has over the man he may replace is positional versatility.

For example, while the Radomyshl-born ace has the skillset to invert into midfield when in possession, the vast majority of his starts in professional football have come as a left-back.

In comparison, the £48k-per-week Turkish international has started in attacking midfield just eight times fewer than left-back and has plenty of experience on the right wing and at right-back to boot.

Lastly, while the “electric” full-back, as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, does have some issues with injuries, missing 43 games since the start of the 2016/17 campaign, they’re minuscule compared to Ukrainian’s as he has missed a whopping 118 matches in the same period.

Ultimately, while Zinchenko helped Arteta bring the team to where it is today, it’s clear that he isn’t going to be the number-one choice left-back going forward, so if Arsenal have the chance to sign Kadıoğlu to replace him, they should take it.