How do you provide cover for Oleksandr Zinchenko?

Oleksandr Zinchenko has had a transformative effect at Arsenal, and his brilliance has thrust Kieran Tierney’s future into doubt. Thus, a question has arisen: how do you provide adequate cover for a full-back so unique?

Tierney has long been a staple of the Gunners after he joined under Unai Emery’s watch. Sure, there were times when he was plagued by injury, but he was regarded as a crucial part of both Emery and Mikel Arteta’s set-up when fit and available.

In fact, there was a period – a bleak one, I must say – when Arteta was almost utterly reliant on his marauding Scottish left-back as a primary source of creating chances. The Spaniard’s system has evolved drastically since then, however, with fifth-attacker Tierney usurped by the inverted Zinchenko in the XI.

Tierney’s injury woes and Nuno Tavares’ chaotic nature rendered left-back a primary target in the transfer market for Arsenal last summer. The players they went after signalled a change of direction. Arteta wasn’t looking for an athlete who could get up and down the touchline, but a technically proficient performer capable of drifting inside and fulfilling the role the likes of Philipp Lahm, Fabian Delph, Kyle Walker, and now John Stones have excelled in under Pep Guardiola.

Lisandro Martinez was the club’s primary target, but Zinchenko has proven to be a rather astute plan B. It’s fair to say it’s worked out for both players.

How do you provide cover for Oleksandr Zinchenko?

Zinchenko has been ubiquitous in Arteta’s Premier League starting XI when he’s been fit and available. When he missed ten games before the World Cup break with a calf injury, Arteta, more often than not, turned to Takehiro Tomiyasu as opposed to Tierney to perform Zinchenko’s role from full-back.

In short, the Spaniard favoured Tomiyasu’s security, control, and two-footedness over Tierney’s dynamism. While the Scot hasn’t been ostracised, he’s certainly fallen out of favour as a result of Arteta’s systematic switch. Simply put, Tierney isn’t suited to performing the Zinchenko role. He often looks awkward in a midfield position, and it puts a limit on his forward forays.

And while he remains a fine full-back, Arsenal could move on from him this summer. He’s a lucrative but disposable asset, and several Premier League clubs have reportedly registered an interest. His departure at the end of the season certainly wouldn’t be a surprise.

If Tierney was to depart, there’s no way Arteta begins 2023/24 with Tomiyasu providing cover at both left- and right-back – presuming Tavares isn’t at the club either. But, if the boss is keen on signing a player capable of performing the Zinchenko role to a high level, where does he turn?

Such players don’t exactly grow on trees.

According to FBRef, these are the ten most similar players to Zinchenko: Joao Cancelo, Reece James, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Matias Oliveira, Juan Cuadrado, Mario Rui, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Pervis Estupinan, Mergim Vojvoda, and Andy Robertson. From this list, the majority are not feasible options. Some are right-backs with little experience playing on the opposite flank, while most are simply not attainable. Brighton’s Estupinan would be an interesting possibility, but do the Gunners really want to negotiate with the Seagulls again?

An idea that I like the sound of is Raphael Guerreiro, who will formerly be of Borussia Dortmund come the summer. His contract’s expiring at the club, and BVB have already signed his replacement in Ramy Bensebaini. He’s an enterprising full-back with immense close control and an impressive burst of pace. Moreover, Guerreiro’s blessed with the requisite technical repertoire to perform the inverted function as he’s excelled in Dortmund’s midfield in recent weeks.

Compared to full-backs from Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, Guerreiro sits in the 90th percentile for passes attempted per 90 minutes, 93rd for progressive passes per 90, and 83rd for pass completion. In comparison, Zinchenko ranks in the 98th, 99th, and 95th percentiles respectively. He’s on another level, but Guerreiro is one of few potentially available full-backs I believe could perform the Ukrainian’s role to the required standard.

His contract situation should intrigue the Gunners, but, like Tierney, the Portuguese international may simply be too good to be playing second fiddle every week. Unfortunately, though, players capable of performing such a difficult role are often too good to be a mere backup. Thus, perhaps the answer resides in Hale End.