In stark contrast to Declan Rice’s considerable impact in Arsenal colours, West Ham United have enjoyed relatively little success when bringing players the other direction from the Emirates to the London Stadium.
An Eredivisie champion with PSV Eindhoven last season, Lucas Perez played only 19 games in a West Ham shirt. Jack Wilshere, funnily enough, featured the same number of times in a claret and blue jersey.
Carl Jenkinson and Marouane Chamakh hardly set the world alight at West Ham United either. As for Freddie Ljungberg, the Swedish icon did not come close to hitting the peak of his considerable powers during a brief stint at Upton Park.
But West Ham will not let past disappointments cloud their vision while Graham Potter’s side emerge as a potential destination for Arsenal and Ukraine ace Oleksandr Zinchenko this summer.
Oleksandr Zinchenko in action during Ipswich Town FC v Arsenal FC in the Premier League
Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Oleksandr Zinchenko happy in London as West Ham United eye Arsenal man
Reports emerged in Italy via Pianeta Milan on Monday claiming that, alongside West Ham, Zinchenko has admirers at Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan.
While Club Brugge ace Raphael Onyedika prefers West Ham over Milan – the £20 million-rated Nigeria international is Kyle Macauley’s top pick for the midfield department this summer – Pianeta Milan report that Zinchenko is hoping to see the Rossoneri formalise their interest.
Though with Arsenal reportedly demanding £13 million and Milan reluctant to go over £8.5 million, the door to West Ham remains very much ajar.
Hammers News have now been told, by football correspondent Graeme Bailey, that Zinchenko is indeed a genuine option the London Stadium outfit.
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And, while the former Manchester City utility man has reportedly placed Milan at the top of his list of priorities, Hammers News understands that Zinchenko is also very happy with life in the English capital. A considerable boost, then, to West Ham’s chances.
Arsenal would prefer to avoid a loan deal, with only two years left on the Ukrainian’s contract. There may be an agreement to be reached on a permanent transfer, though, if West Ham are willing to meet The Gunners’ demands for the four-time Premier League winner.
Zinchenko would bring a winners’ mentality to Graham Potter’s Hammers
A highly-intelligent and extremely versatile footballer, Zinchenko is a ball-playing central midfielder by trade. But the 28-year-old has spent the majority of his time in English football under Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta operating as a left-back, albeit often drifting infield rather than hugging the touchline in a more traditional sense.
With West Ham in the market for both left-backs and central midfielders, Zinchenko could potentially come to represent two signings rolled into one.
“First of all, his mentality,” Arteta said when explaining why Arsenal spent £30 million bringing the one-time PSV Eindhoven man to the Emirates back in 2022. “He’s used to winning; Winning is the only thing and winning in the right way.
“He’s a perfectionist and a really demanding boy. He [also] brings qualities that we didn’t have in the squad. He gives us a different option to play within the role in different spaces.”
On Friday, Fabrizio Romano reported that Emerson Palmieri will leave West Ham this summer amid claims that Lazio want to bring the former Roma man back to Italy.
Following Aaron Cresswell out the door, Emerson’s departure means Ollie Scarles will go into the new season as Graham Potter’s only senior left-back unless reinforcements arrive.