Oleksandr Zinchenko has returned to full training with Arsenal ahead of their match against Ipswich Town on Friday night, with pictures showing the defender taking part in Thursday’s session.
Arsenal have had a number of injuries in the left-back position in recent months, with Kieran Tierney, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Oleksandr Zinchenko all spending at least some time out of action since the start of October.
One by one, Mikel Arteta has been welcoming each player back, and Zinchenko is seemingly the latest to return to fitness.
The Ukraine international has missed Arsenal’s last five matches, but he could be seen taking part in training on Thursday ahead of the Gunners’ match against Ipswich.
Tierney, Timber, Calafiori, and Lewis-Skelly are all seemingly available as well, so Arteta suddenly has a wealth of options at left-back. It’s at right-wing and right-back where he’s having more difficulties, with Bukayo Saka, Raheem Sterling, Ben White, and Takehiro Tomiyasu all out.
That’s part of the reason it’s so important for all of Arsenal’s left-backs to be fit. If the likes of Tierney and Timber aren’t needed at left-back, they can help out in other positions.
For example, Tierney can make himself available as an option on the left-wing – a role he effectively played during last week’s League Cup tie against Crystal Palace – allowing Gabriel Martinelli to move to the right. And Timber himself can play at right-back to fill that gap.
Whether or not Zinchenko will make an immediate return to Arteta’s squad against Ipswich on Friday night remains to be seen, but the fact the manager at least has the option is a positive in itself.