Oleksandr Zinchenko: The Contenders to Sign Him & Where He Might End Up
By Tom Gott
The January transfer window is right around the corner, and teams are already working hard to identify potential signings.
One player who could be on the move is Manchester City's winger-turned-defender Oleksandr Zinchenko. It has been confirmed to 90min that City are open to offers for the Ukraine international, who has tumbled down the pecking order under Pep Guardiola.
Let's take a look at who's in the race to sign Zinchenko.
5. West Ham
Finding a new left-back is high on the to-do list of West Ham manager David Moyes, who recently lost Arthur Masuaku to a knee injury.
However, any new signing will likely have to play second-fiddle to Aaron Cresswell, who has quietly been one of the Hammers' top performers this year. His place in the team is not under threat, and West Ham won't want to pay a high price for somebody to come in and act as cover.
A loan move would make more sense, but City might not be as keen, while Zinchenko himself might not relish the chance to sit on a different bench for the rest of the season.
Likelihood rating: 2/10
4. Southampton
Like West Ham, Southampton are more bothered about finding some extra cover at left-back in January, but the Saints will be slightly more open to a permanent deal.
31-year-old Ryan Bertrand is Ralph Hasenhuttl's undisputed starter, but there are concerns over the lack of depth behind him and the lack of plan for the future.
A move for Zinchenko, who is seven years Bertrand's junior, would make some sense, but the Saints are likely to find some short-term cover elsewhere for far cheaper.
Likelihood rating: 4/10
3. Leicester City
Leicester's move for Zinchenko would likely hinge on whether Brendan Rodgers actually sees a future for 20-year-old Luke Thomas at King Power Stadium.
Thomas penned a new long-term contract in the summer as a sign of the club's commitment to the youngster, but he's still got a bit of learning to do and has found himself out on the fringes for the majority of this season.
Christian Fuchs is still performing well but is 34 years old and clearly approaching the end of his career, so a new long-term option needs to be found soon. If the feeling is that Thomas needs more time, a move for Zinchenko might make sense.
Likelihood rating: 6/10
2. Napoli
Napoli's hunt for a new left-back has not been subtle. They have been linked with a whole host of names since the summer, and Zinchenko is one of the options under consideration.
Both Mario Rui and Faouzi Ghoulam are out of favour under Gennaro Gattuso, who has often preferred to play Elseid Hsyaj out of position instead of playing a natural left-back.
However, after splashing the cash on Victor Osimhen during the summer, Napoli would also prefer a loan move for Zinchenko. It's not out of the realm of possibility, but there are better options out there.
Likelihood rating: 7/10
1. Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves and Zinchenko almost feels like a match made in heaven.
Nuno Espirito Santo prefers to operate with attack-minded wing-backs, and that describes Zinchenko to a tee. He's not the greatest defender, but in Wolves' system, he wouldn't need to be.
An advanced role would bring the best out of Zinchenko, who cut his teeth in Ukraine and Russia as an attacking midfielder.
With Jonny Otto out injured, Marcal nearly 32 years old and Rayan Ait-Nouri only at Molineux on loan, it's not hard to see Nuno splashing out on a new left-back.
Likelihood rating: 9/10