‘He looked like a baby’: Andriy Shevchenko says £32m Arsenal player is transformed, he looks so different now
AC Milan and Ukraine legend Andriy Shevchenko has hailed Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko ahead of his return to the Etihad to face Manchester City tomorrow.
The Gunners signed the 26-year-old from the defending Premier League champions in a £32 million deal last summer (Sky Sports). He joined Gabriel Jesus at the Emirates, and the two players have been sensational.
Shevchenko knows Zinchenko very well, and he has now delivered his verdict.
Andriy Shevchenko hails Oleksandr Zinchenko before Man City vs Arsenal
Arsenal have had a sensational season in the Premier League.
They are currently five points clear of Manchester City and although the balance of the title race has swung in Pep Guardiola’s favour over the last three games, they are still in with a great chance of winning the league.
Zinchenko has been one of the biggest reasons why Arsenal are where they are, and Shevchenko has heaped praise on his development over the years. He also believes the 26-year-old has been one of the best left-back this season.
He told CBS Sports: “He’s so light on the ball, very good technique and he was not afraid to take responsibility when he was playing even when he first started. You could see immediately that he had a different, natural quality to anybody else: technique, movement and confidence.
“I remember him coming to the national team, he was a boy of 16. He looked like a baby!
“He has developed and grown so much, the captain of the Ukrainian national team, one of the best left-backs this season. He deserves all of this for his passion for football, his discipline, his desire and ambition.”
Our View:
Zinchenko deserves a lot of praise for his performances this season, but he will be the first one to admit that he hasn’t been at his best recently.
The Ukrainian’s mistake against Liverpool cost the Gunners two points at Anfield earlier this month, while Lee Dixon felt he was at fault for Southampton’s third goal last week too.
Zinchenko needs to bounce back to his best, and what better game to do it in than against his old club in what many people think is the title decider at the Etihad tomorrow.
If Zinchenko has a good game, there’s every chance Arsenal can get a positive result.
