Bacary Sagna has shared his confusion over why one Arsenal star has been on the receiving end of criticism in recent weeks.
The Gunners ended the season in fantastic form with Arsenal dropping points in just two Premier League matches as the north London side came within a whisker of beating Manchester City to the title.
With the summer transfer window upon us, Arsenal will soon go into overdrive in making the signings needed to go that extra mile next season and to overtake City at last for the biggest prize in English football.
Yet Sagna has questioned why one Arsenal player is now being criticised.
Speaking to journalist Chris Wheatley, the former Arsenal defender highlighted why Oleksandr Zinchenko has found himself as a target for criticism, with the £32m signing from City being slammed for some of his performances this season.
Sagna said when asked about recent criticism towards Zinchenko: “I love Zinchenko. I love the way he plays. I love this technique. I’m trying to understand why people say he didn’t have a great season.
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“It is because he made one mistake against Liverpool where he was caught out of possession and Arsenal were punished? Zinchenko is a wonderful player. Arteta puts so many demands on him as a footballer; he performs several roles in the team from his left-back position.
“When Arsenal lose the ball and he moves into the midfield, he can find himself out of his position, but this is a product of the bravery Arteta demands from his players and the football he wants to play.”
Zinchenko criticism has been warranted at times this season
There’s no denying that Zinchenko is a sensational player, with the Ukraine international one of the best in Arsenal’s squad when it comes to a technical level and progressing the ball.
Yet criticism aimed at Zinchenko has been warranted at some points this season, with the defender at fault for Arsenal’s 2-0 loss against Aston Villa as well as the draw against Liverpool at Anfield.
With rumours of a move to Bayern Munich, it could be a smart idea for Zinchenko to move on this summer, especially if Arsenal can recoup a good fee for the former City star.