It is no secret that Frank Lampard is keen to add a sturdy midfielder to the Everton squad. Oleksandr Zinchenko is one of the many names linked with Everton. The Manchester City player’s future is in doubt and there’s a chance that he’ll leave Etihad this summer.
Fabian Delph is set to leave this summer after seeing his contract out. The Toffees are also hoping to generate money through the sale of Andre Gomes and possibly Allan, who is admired by Lazio. The possible departures could leave Everton with very few options in midfield which is why signing a competent midfielder is as much a priority as is strengthening the central defence.
Everton are closely monitoring Conor Gallagher but the chances of him arriving at Goodison Park are dim as Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is set to count on Gallagher and give him a chance to show his talent in pre-season.
Man City utility man Zinchenko was offered to the Toffees. The Ukrainian has been primarily operating as a left back for the club but he finds solace in playing in his natural position, central midfield. For the national side, Zinchenko operates in a No.8 role where he excels and has proven to be one of the best that Ukraine has.
Everton target Oleksandr Zinchenko open to leaving Manchester City
In the recent international games, the FIFA World Cup play-offs where Ukraine bitterly missed out on a World Cup spot, Zinchenko was one of their star players, orchestrating the play from central midfield.
The 25 year old has always preferred playing in central midfield over slotting into a left back position. At Manchester City, his central midfield ambitions will continue to hit dead ends as Zinchenko displacing the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva or Ilkay Gundogan seems highly unlikely.
With Manchester City pushing to sign Marc Cucurella, Zinchenko’s future is in doubt. According to 90min, the Ukrainian is open to leaving Man City but only if a club promises that he’ll have a midfield berth instead of a left back.
Everton along with Arsenal and West Ham have already been in touch with the player’s entourage. There is interest from Italy, Germany and Spain and it is likely that the central midfielder will cost around £30 million.
Everton does not need another left back but they do need a reliable midfielder like Zinchenko. The 25 year old has the drive and excellent passing abilities along with press resistant skills.
So, if Everton does attempt to sign Zinchenko, he’s guaranteed to start in the midfield as displacing Vitaliy Mykolenko is not in consideration. However, the £30 million asking price could be a stumbling block for the Toffees.
Is Oleksandr Zinchenko a viable option for Everton?