West Ham United are believed to be in the mix to sign Manchester City defender Oleksandr Zinchenko, despite the Ukrainian having been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal.

What's the word?

According to the Evening Standard, the Hammers are said to be 'admirers' of the 25-year-old, with City potentially set to sanction a departure to allow the former FC Ufa man to earn more regular game-time.

The 52-cap gem - who was signed by the reigning Premier League champions for a bargain fee of just £1.7m six years ago - is reportedly set to cost in the region of £35m, with the Gunners also tipped to make a move this summer.

The addition of a new left-back appears to be a high priority for David Moyes and co this summer, having been linked with moves for the likes of David Raum and Layvin Kurzawa in recent weeks.

Moyes' own Robertson

While Zinchenko can also thrive in his perhaps preferred midfield berth - where he features for his country - it is on the left of the defence where he is most likely to be utilised should he make the switch to the London Stadium.

It is in that role where he has largely been deployed, to great effect, during his time under Pep Guardiola, racking up 127 appearances in all competitions for the English champions, chipping in with two goals and 12 assists in that time.

Although the £22.5m-rated man has largely been forced to play second fiddle throughout his time in Manchester, he has still been lauded by plenty of team-mates and media. He was dubbed "incredible" by City's Kyle Walker, while journalist Gregg Evans was full of praise for the Ukrainian's "frightening" composure in attack.

Not just a key cog on the field, the £59k-per-week ace has also proven himself something of a "leader" off the pitch, as per Vayam Lahoti, bravely and courageously speaking out against Russia's ongoing invasion of his homeland in recent months.

Such a strong character would no doubt thrive in what appears to be a particularly harmonious dressing room in east London, with Moyes set to love having such a hard-working, impressive asset in his ranks.

The former Everton boss could also potentially land his own Andy Robertson by signing the Man City ace, with the pair sharing a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, according to FBRef.

That comparison is a marker of just how much of a talent Zinchenko is, with his Liverpool counterpart arguably one of the best full-backs in the world, having blossomed during his time at Anfield under Jurgen Klopp.

The Scotland skipper has recorded a remarkable 49 assists and eight goals in his Premier League career to date - having also spent time at Hull City - with that haul of assists in particular ensuring that he only trails Leighton Baines (53) for goals provided by a defender in the competition's history.

Although the Ukraine international cannot match that attacking output, the pair seemingly share a number of traits. Zinchenko notably ranks in the top 1% for progressive passes and progressive carries among those in his position across Europe's top five leagues, while Robertson ranks in the top 3% and the top 7% for the same two metrics - albeit having enjoyed almost double the game-time.

That likeness will no doubt set pulses racing among those of a West Ham persuasion, with the club potentially able to have their own Robertson in tow should the Irons' head of recruitment Rob Newman manage to get a deal over the line.

AND in other news, Contact made: Moyes can unearth a new sensation as West Ham move for “complete” £39m target