Borussia Dortmund have reportedly made Arsenal left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko their ‘prime goal’ forward of Chelsea’s outcast vice-captain Ben Chilwell.
Dortmund, who parted methods with supervisor Nuri Sahin earlier this week however is not going to appoint Erik ten Hag as his alternative, have been trying to strengthen the left-side of their defence all through January.
Chilwell’s teammate at Chelsea, Renato Veiga, had been the participant Dortmund wished to signal most, however they had been unable to agree phrases over a transfer – the Blues initially keen to solely sanction a everlasting switch whereas Dortmund had been in search of a mortgage. The Portuguese is now set to hitch Juventus on mortgage after the previous Premier League winners modified their stance.
Zinchenko has fallen behind Riccardo Calafiori and academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly in Arsenal’s defensive pecking order, whereas Jurrien Timber can be able to taking part in on the left and will shift again into the function as soon as traditional beginning right-back Ben White returns to health.
The Telegraph report that Zinchenko is now Dortmund’s favoured possibility forward of Chilwell, who has been restricted to only one Carabao Cup look for Chelsea this season. West Ham United have additionally been linked with 28-year-old Chilwell, who Enzo Maresca has made clear can depart Stamford Bridge if an appropriate provide is available in.
Dortmund are at the moment tenth within the Bundesliga after successful simply one among their final 5 league video games, however did attain the ultimate of final season’s Champions League. They’ve additionally certified for the play-off spherical of this season’s reformatted competitors and will nonetheless safe one of many top-eight berths that grants computerized qualification by to the knockout phases.
Zinchenko has loads of European expertise with each Arsenal and former membership Manchester Metropolis, whom he left in July 2022 for £30m in quest of extra common first-team soccer. The Ukrainian, who is flexible and may function in central midfield, received 4 Premier League titles, 4 Carabao Cups and one FA Cup throughout his time below Pep Guardiola, and began the 2021 Champions League remaining in opposition to Chelsea.
