German giants Bayern Munich are reportedly keeping a close eye on the situation of a 27-year-old Arsenal player who fell down Mikel Arteta's pecking order last season.
Left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko plugged a glaring gap in the Gunners' XI following his arrival from Manchester City in 2022, as Arteta sought to introduce an inverted left-back into his team.
Prior to Zinchenko's arrival, Arteta had kept faith with Kieran Tierney - whose strengths predominantly come on the overlap - but the Scotsman has consistently struggled with injuries during his Arsenal career.
Zinchenko's first season in North London was a success as Arsenal pushed Manchester City in the Premier League title fight, but the Ukraine international has now lost his status as a regular starter.
Amid concerns over his defensive abilities, Zinchenko fell below the versatile Takehiro Tomiyasu in the final stages of the season and is also facing left-back competition from Jakub Kiwior and Jurrien Timber.
Vincent Kompany eyeing Manchester City reunion with Zinchenko?
Zinchenko was an unused substitute in three of Arsenal's final four matches of the 2023-24 Premier League season, while coming off the bench for a brief 31-minute cameo in their final-day success over Everton.
The ex-Man City man still has two years left to run on his contract at the Emirates, but Arsenal - who have already tied a plethora of key performers down to new deals - are not believed to be planning talks over a renewal at this stage.
As a result, appropriate bids could be entertained for Zinchenko, and according to The Mirror, Bayern are monitoring developments closely after Vincent Kompany became their new head coach.
The ex-Man City defender briefly played alongside Zinchenko during their time together at the Etihad, and Bayern are known to be seeking out alternative left-back options amid the expectation that Alphonso Davies will soon depart.
The Canada international has refused to extend his deal beyond the end of the 2024-25 campaign, and a move to Real Madrid is expected to materialise either this summer or the next.
Should Arsenal be looking to sell Zinchenko this summer?
Two goals and four assists from 68 matches in all competitions are hardly world-beating numbers from Zinchenko during his time at Arsenal, but Arteta's love for a versatile player should mean that he has enough credit in the bank for now.
A formidable presence in the heart of the Ukraine midfield, Zinchenko can always be relied upon to break the lines from his inverted left-back role, even if his awareness and defensive positioning are rightly called into question at times.
From a playing sense, there are not many reasons to axe Zinchenko from the ranks; the 27-year-old is a useful squad option, possesses plenty of title-winning experience and is vocal both on and off the field.
No new deal would leave the Gunners hierarchy with a decision to make, though, especially with a new defender expected to be signed this summer, and there is talk of Leeds United's Archie Gray potentially coming in and learning the ways of the left-back.
However, added competition is unlikely to deter Zinchenko, who is not expected to push for a move elsewhere after the first sticky patch of his Arsenal career, and the Gunners should not consider selling unless an astronomical bid comes their way.
