Major blow for Ajax as former Arsenal and Nottingham Forest defender suffers season ending injury just weeks after signing | OneFootball

While Ajax celebrated a 4-1 victory at the weekend over Fortuna Sittard, they have been dealt a huge blow just a few days later. The club has announced that Oleksandr Zinchenko, who only joined the club during the recent transfer window, has suffered a potentially season ending injury. The Ukrainian international had to go off just six minutes into his second appearance for Ajax and is likely to miss his countries quest to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Ajax had hoped that, after signing Zinchenko from Arsenal, he could provide them with the extra quality they need to push for a top two finish. Sadly for Zinchenko and Ajax, that is unlikely to be the case now. After just 10 appearances for Nottingham Forest during a loan spell this season, Zinchenko returned to Arsenal in order to negotiate a move to Ajax. The move would give the 29-year-old the chance to get more first team football ahead of his countries clash with Sweden at the end of March.

Ukraine will now go into the game without Zinchenko but will hope that they will still have enough to get past Graham Potter’s side. If they do, they will face the winner of the clash between Poland and Albania for a place at the World Cup this summer.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson