Why Arsenal star Zinchenko chose Super Eagles star Alex Iwobi's old number

Arsenal's Oleksandr Zinchenko has announced a significant change ahead of the upcoming season as the Ukrainian international switches from his familiar number 35 shirt to the number 17 previously worn by Super Eagles icon Alex Iwobi.

Speaking to the club's media, the 27-year-old explained the reason for the number change, saying, "The number 17 is a very special number to me. It was the number I wore as a young player, and I’ve always requested to wear 17 when playing for my country."

The Ukraine international requested the number after it became available following Cedric Soares' departure, and his wish was granted by the club.

Apart from Iwobi, other notable wearers of number 17 at Arsenal include Alexis Sanchez, Alex Song, and World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit.

The 27-year-old defender hopes the number change will be a fresh start after he endured a challenging season last year, where despite his technical abilities on the ball, he faced criticism for his defensive performances.

The arrival of Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna has led to questions about his place in the team, however, Zinchenko is determined to turn things around, and the new number represents a clean slate as he looks to prove his worth in the upcoming campaign.

ZInchenko has been part of both Arsenal sides that finished as runners-up to his former side Manchester City, and he will be hoping to help them take a step further to usurp the Cityzens in the 2024/25 season.