Borussia Dortmund’s pursuit of Oleksandr Zinchenko is clouded by concerns over his defensive weaknesses, with Atletico Madrid also pushing for the Arsenal left-back.
Meanwhile, Celtic are trying to accelerate Kieran Tierney’s return ahead of his pre-agreed summer move, but Arsenal’s transfer plans hinge on Zinchenko’s future.
Borussia Dortmund remain in the race to sign Oleksandr Zinchenko, but doubts over his defensive capabilities are causing hesitation among the club’s hierarchy.
The Arsenal left-back, who has also attracted interest from Atletico Madrid, has been identified as a potential solution for Dortmund’s full-back issues, yet concerns persist about his ability to shore up a defence that has already struggled in the Bundesliga this season.
According to reports, Dortmund had initially prioritised signing Renato Veiga from Chelsea, but after the Portuguese defender opted for a loan move to Juventus, attention turned to Zinchenko.
However, while Sven Mislintat had been one of the driving forces behind Dortmund’s pursuit of the Ukrainian, his imminent departure from the club amid a power struggle with Sebastian Kehl has added uncertainty to the situation.
With Felix Nmecha sidelined with a ligament injury, Dortmund have been forced to bring back Salih Özcan from an unsuccessful loan at VfL Wolfsburg, and they have yet to secure reinforcements for their struggling back line.
Dortmund’s defensive frailties have been on full display this season, and Mikel Arteta’s use of Zinchenko as an inverted full-back has only heightened concerns among the Bundesliga club’s decision-makers.

Despite his technical qualities, Zinchenko’s defensive positioning has often been criticised, and Dortmund’s bosses reportedly fear that his tendency to drift into midfield could leave them further exposed.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid are pushing to sign the 28-year-old, with Diego Simeone looking for an experienced full-back to add balance to his squad. Atletico’s more structured defensive setup may be a better tactical fit for Zinchenko, who has seen his playing time at Arsenal reduced following the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly and the arrival of Riccardo Calafiori.

Zinchenko’s potential departure could also impact Kieran Tierney, with Arsenal previously indicating that the Scotsman would only stay if Zinchenko were to leave.
Celtic have already agreed a deal to bring Tierney back on a free transfer in the summer, but Brendan Rodgers’ side is exploring the possibility of fast-tracking the move to January.
“Ideally, it would, but at the moment he’s still an Arsenal player,” Rodgers admitted when asked about a potential early transfer. “It will definitely take place in the summer, but if we can do it beforehand, then great.”
Tierney, who has made just five appearances for Arsenal this season, has struggled for game time under Arteta and is eager to return to Celtic Park, where he made his professional debut.
He reportedly rejected interest from Leicester City, Brentford, West Ham, and clubs in Italy, Germany, and France in favour of a return to Scotland.
However, Arsenal’s reluctance to let both left-backs leave in the same window means Tierney is likely to remain in North London until the summer unless Zinchenko’s transfer is finalised quickly.
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