Arteta unlocks 'next Trent Alexander-Arnold' as contract agreement revealed

Oleksandr Zinchenko has compared himself to Trent Alexander-Arnold while addressing the teething problems he's faced as an inverted full-back. The 27-year-old defender, who tends to join Declan Rice in midfield despite being a left-back on paper, revolutionised the way Arsenal play following his arrival from Manchester City in 2022.

Being an attacking midfielder at heart from his days at Shakhtar Donetsk, the Ukraine international often helps dictate possession, pulling the strings in the middle of the park. His impressive performances helped Mikel Arteta's side mount a Premier League title charge last season, only for his former club to leapfrog the Gunners in the final weeks of the campaign.

While Zinchenko has enjoyed plenty of success in his new position, it wasn't a straightforward transition. In an interview with The Atheltic, the Ukrainian explained the problems which he and the likes of Alexander-Arnold face.

"This is one of the parts which we are also working so hard about because, if you step inside in midfield to make some advantage and we suddenly lose the ball somewhere, you need to reorganise well," said the Arsenal defender. "Of course, people can be criticised on this.

"Trent, me or whoever. But I’m pretty sure both of us are trying to help our team as much as we can and we’re trying to do what our manager is telling us. That’s what we are paying attention to almost every single day, on and off the pitch."

Zinchenko first made a name for himself as a midfielder in Donetsk, attracting the attention of City. But upon his arrival at the Etihad Stadium, Pep Guardiola used the Ukrainian as a left-back and he's remained in the backline ever since – for his club anyway.

For Ukraine, Zinchenko often plays in midfield. When asked whether he'd be happy to do the same at Arsenal, he replied: "I signed and respect the contract. I knew where I was going because I had a dream to play for this club since I was a kid.

"It doesn’t matter which club I’m going to play for in the future or if I stay here for the rest of my life, I’ll do the same thing. I’ll help the team as much as I can and, wherever the manager sees me, I’ll do my best — even being a keeper!

"I don’t mind, honestly. I feel comfortable in both midfield and as a full-back. I know my weaknesses and my strengths. That’s why I’m trying to work every single day to prove myself."