Arsenal’s business in the summer transfer market is being done with one clear aim in mind - close the two-point gap to Manchester City that denied them last season’s Premier League title.
So far the club have only brought in one new face in Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna, while goalkeeper David Raya has been signed permanently following his loan move from Brentford last season.
Emile Smith Rowe was the first player to be sold this summer, with Fulham paying £34million for the midfielder, while the likes of Mohamed Elneny and Cedric Soares departed on loan.
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One player linked with the exit door this summer has been left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, who fell out of favour towards the end of last season, struggling to win a place back in the team after missing a month with a calf issue.
The Ukraine international has two years left on his current Gunners deal, with the club revealing that he has a new squad number, indicating that he will be remaining at the Emirates. The 27-year-old has given up the number 35 shirt and will now sport the number 17 this season, following Soares’ exit.
“The number 17 is very special to me,” he told the club’s website. “It was the number I wore as a young player, and I’ve always requested to wear 17 when playing for my country.
“With 17 being free since Cedric left, I asked if I could change, and thanks to everyone at the club for supporting me. It’s also very important to say that if anyone has bought this season’s new shirt directly from the club with my name and 35 on it, they can get an exchange to my new number.”
The 17 shirt has been worn by the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Edu, Nacho Monreal and Alex Iwobi in recent years, as Zinchenko look to fight for his place in Mikel Arteta’s starting XI amid an increased battle for competition at the back following Calafiori’s arrival and the return to fitness of last summer’s signing Jurrien Timber.
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