Why is Oleksandr Zinchenko Not Playing in Excelsior vs Ajax Today?

One of Ukraine's best footballers of all time, Oleksandr Zinchenko, is ready to start a new chapter in his career. Calling time on his Premier League days, he is set to taste the Eredivisie again. He is close to joining Ajax Amsterdam in the winter transfer window. But the versatile defender is not expected to play in the Excelsior vs Ajax game today.

Why is Oleksandr Zinchenko's Ajax Debut Delayed?

After Arsenal and AFC Ajax agreed on a loan deal a couple of weeks ago, Zinchenko was expected to fly to the Netherlands and sign his new contract. But the technicalities of the transfer window almost took the deal to the brink of collapse. The Lancers were expected to cover a part of his wages. But the high wages involved and his being a non-EU player gave rise to difficulties. He was denied a work permit on the loan move, and the only solution was to settle for a permanent move.

Ajax and Arsenal were miles apart in their valuation of the player. However, as the window was coming to a close, Ajax set a deadline, and the Gunners were forced to budge. After multiple rounds of negotiations, the clubs agreed on a cut-price €1.5 million deal, according to Fabrizio Romano. The former Manchester City defender flew to the Netherlands on 31st January. With the transfer window coming to a close, the club is working around the clock to get the paperwork done and register him to the squad.

With the Excelsior vs Ajax game coming too soon, the Dutch side did not even have time to announce Oleksandr Zinchenko. Hence, Zinchenko's Ajax debut will not take place on 1st February, 2026. However, when Ajax take on AZ Alkmaar on 8th February, Zinchenko will be ready to make his debut. He will be their newest addition alongside Takehiro Tomiyasu, Maximilian Ibrahimovic, and Paulo da Silva.

What Next for Oleksandr Zinchenko?

Capped 150 times in the Premier League, Zinchenko, originally a midfielder, earned the versatile player tag thanks to his ability to play as a left-back and invert seamlessly. The four-time Premier League winner with Manchester City was one of the most influential players in Pep Guardiola's league-dominating teams. However, injuries took a fair share of toll on him as he found playing time difficult to come by.

The former Man City fullback broke through at Shakhtar Donetsk before joining FC Ufa in neighbouring Russia. Manchester City scouted him and brought him to the biggest football league in the world, the English Premier League. He spent a season on loan at PSV before earning a breakthrough in Manchester. An assist in the memorable 3-2 comeback against Aston Villa to win the league on the final day of the 2021/22 season was one of the highlights of his Premier League career.