'Needs a change': Arsenal's £30m ace told to leave in 2025, West Ham man also needs a transfer
11/22/2024 07:15 AM
With the January transfer window looming, a host of Premier League benchwarmers – including those at Arsenal and West Ham United – may have some difficult decisions to make.
Of course, whether they would be allowed to pursue a fresh start – midway through a season and with a tightly-packed schedule likely to test each and every squad to its limits – is another matter.
Still, as they lose their spots in the respective starting XIs of Arsenal and West Ham United, the New Year may bring about familiar concerns for the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Vladimir Coufal.
A penny for their January 1st resolutions, indeed.
Zinchenko, albeit his involvement limited by a calf injury, has started only one Premier League game for Arsenal in 2024/25.
Long-serving London Stadium right-back Coufal has been included in Julen Lopetegui’s XI just twice, meanwhile. West Ham signed Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Manchester United in a £15 million summer deal, thus ousting Coufal from the team sheet.
Oleksandr Zinchenko told to leave Arsenal by former Man City scout
Spanish publication Sport this week contacted Bojan Krkic Sr, the former Barcelona and Manchester City scout and father of an ex-Blaugrana whizzkid by the same name.
While putting forward a list of players he feels are ripe for a fresh start, Bojan Sr argues that the time has come for Zinchenko and Coufal to consider their futures.
“He has lost his starting place at Arsenal and in the Ukraine national team, so he needs a change of scenery,” the experienced talentspoter says of Zinchenko, who moved to Man City in 2016 during his Bojan’s at the Etihad.
“Arteta is putting [Riccardo] Calafiori at full-back, although he is a centre-back, or even [Jurrien] Timber, who is right-footed.
“Technically gifted, [Zinchenko] can play as an inside midfielder because he is tactically prepared.”
TBR understands that Jakub Kiwior is the defender most likely to leave Arsenal in the winter, however. One of four Gunners defenders capable of playing in the left-back berth which Zinchenko once made his own, Kiwior is keen on a reunion with his former Spezia coach Thiago Motta at Juventus.
Kiwior has been tipped to join Antonio Conte’s Napoli, too, with Zinchenko and the Poland international arguably now Arsenal’s third and fourth-choice options at left-back when everyone is fit and available.
Vladimir Coufal has lost his place at West Ham to Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Czech Republic veteran Coufal, meanwhile, is set to become a free-agent in the summer of 2025.
Coufal was linked with Turkish giants Galatasaray over the summer. To think, the 32-year-old held talks with Bayer Leverkusen at one point in the recent past, missing out on the chance to become a Bundesliga champion under Xabi Alonso.
“With the signing of Wan Bissaka from Manchester United, [Coufal] has lost his starting position and is playing much less,” Bojan adds. “Although he is 32 years old, he can still perform at a good level due to his professionalism, aerobic capacity and long distance running.
“In addition, he has a good technical-tactical level. He is a starter for his national team.”
Coufal and Zinchenko are likely to be restricted to a watching brief again this weekend as the Premier League returns following the November international break. West Ham travel to Newcastle in Monday’s late kick-off.
Arsenal, meanwhile, host high-flying Nottingham Forest at the Emirates.
