Mikel Arteta Praises New Signing Oleksandr Zinchenko

Mikel Arteta after a well deserved victory against Orlando City during Arsenal’s pre-season tour praised their new signing. Arsenal defeated Orlando City 3-1 and during the press conference Arteta spoke about Zinchenko.
He said: “As you’ve seen, he is here [in Orlando]. There are still a few formalities to get everything completed but we’re really happy to have him. “I know the player really well, he’s an exceptional footballer and he is someone that is going to bring us another competitive edge to that dressing room.”

Mikel Arteta Speaks on Zinchenko’s Versatility

Arteta also talked on where he might deploy the Ukraine international. Zinchenko played as a left-back under Pep Guardiola in Man City. However, he is used in a midfield role at international level. Mikel Arteta said: “He can play in both. “He was a natural No 10 early in his career and we converted him into a left-back [at Manchester City], which can do a lot of things that we want in our way of playing. That versatility is something that is going to be important for the team because we have players in that position who are more specific full-backs, so I’m really happy.

“[Versatility] is one of the things and the way we can adapt structures, formations and rotations within the squad and playing with the same players in a different way. To be more unpredictable is obviously important and that is why we have recruited [versatile] players.”

Arsenal’s Team Shaping Up

“We have a large squad. “We have to make some decisions on the players that we’re not going to be using consistently and be fair and straight with them and that’s a process that is going to start very soon as well. “We have to, and now we have to make things happen.
Zinchenko will be Arsenal’s fifth recruit of the summer after signing Gabriel Jesus (£45m), Fabio Vieira (£34m), Matt Turner (£7.5m) and Marquinhos (£3m), while Alexandre Lacazette remains the only first-team departure