David Ornstein hints at ‘interesting’ contract situation developing with one Arsenal star

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Arsenal have handed out several new contracts to key stars over the past year, with more set to follow imminently.

Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu both look set to follow the likes of William Saliba and Bukayo Saka in signing long-term deals to stay at the club, but there is another player whom Arsenal may now look to extend as well.

Oleksandr Zinchenko joined from Manchester City in the summer of 2022 on a four-year deal, meaning that at the end of this season, he will have just two years left on his deal.

Journalist David Ornstein has now highlighted that Arsenal may need to take action over his contract following the conclusion of this campaign.

David Ornstein highlights Oleksandr Zinchenko contract situation

In a Q&A session with The Athletic, Ornstein highlighted that a new contract for Zinchenko could be something discussed at the club in what promises to be a hectic transfer window.

“Defensively, they’ll be boosted by the return of Jurrien Timber and must hope that Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu shake off their injury problems,” he stated of Arsenal’s back four.

“Because of that issue, you could see a player arriving in this part of the pitch. It will be interesting to see if they try to tie Zinchenko down to a new contract or not, as he is approaching the final two years of his terms.”

Should Arsenal offer Zinchenko a new contract?

Although the 27-year-old has been criticised for his defensive ability at times, he does bring a level of technical control and intelligence to the back four that no other player in the squad can replace.

Zinchenko arrived as a specialist inverted left-back, and has adapted to that role under Mikel Arteta better than anyone else.

Although he has his flaws, the positives he brings to the team far outweigh the negatives, and his experience and leadership skills have proven useful for Arsenal since his arrival.

His injury problems do remain a concern, but finding a like-for-like specialist replacement for the Ukrainian will be very difficult.

There are other options in his position who will likely start in certain games, but Zinchenko is a crucial part of the team, and a new contract to tie him down for the next few seasons and protect his value would be a smart move, in line with the other deals handed out to his teammates.