Oleksandr Zinchenko’s tears at Goodison Park as fellow Ukrainian Vitalii Mykolenko put his arm around him was an image that went far beyond just sport but the Manchester City player might soon be returning to Everton on a permanent basis. After six successful years at the Etihad, it is understood that the 25-year-old could now be surplus to requirements with Pep Guardiola prepared to let him go and the Athletic report that Blues boss Frank Lampard could be prepared to swoop for him.
The Premier League champions are eyeing a move for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Marc Cucurella, potentially pushing Zinchenko down the pecking order but if he was to make the move down the East Lancs Road to Goodison, it seems unlikely that he’d be earmarked to take up the left-back berth currently occupied by compatriot Mykolenko, who was signed for around £17million back in January.
Everton have earmarked bolstering midfield and centre-back as priorities and with a free transfer for Burnley’s out-of-contract James Tarkowski now understood to be done and boxing off the latter, Zinchenko could instead take up a position in the Blues engine room akin to where he often plays for his national team in what is in fact his preferred position. Although he was playing almost exclusively at left-back for City last term – a Champions League group game at home to Paris Saint-Germain being the sole exception – are there any clues from Zinchenko’s statistics from the 2021/22 campaign that point to what he might be able to offer Lampard?
