Arteta can succeed in fulfilling 'versatile' Arsenal wish after Man Utd snub

The old adage goes that it's not about how many times you fall, but about how many times you get back up, and Mikel Arteta is certainly putting that to the test this summer.

His Arsenal have experienced an action-packed transfer window of activity, which has seen the north London club contend with all manner of ups and downs. There have indeed been plenty of highs having secured four additions including top transfer target Gabriel Jesus, but there have also been some confidence-crushing lows.

In particular, snubs from Raphinha and Lisandro Martinez have served as reminders that Arsenal no longer possess the pulling power the once did, despite what Arteta may testify. The latter in particular was a significant setback as the Manchester United-bound Ajax ace appeared the perfect player to help the Gunners bridge the gap to the Premier League's top four.

According to The Athletic, Arteta was understood to have been taken by Martinez due to his versatility in particular. The 24-year-old, who predominantly plays as a centre-back, has been widely revered for his ability to cover at left-back and in midfield.

With the Gunners boss keen to play an attacking brand of exciting football and adjust his system accordingly in order to achieve such an aim, moving for Martinez just made sense. It very much seems as though Arteta is looking for players comfortable on the ball in all positions, and players who can be called upon when injuries need to inevitably be addressed, or when tactical tweaks need to be made.

Missing out on Martinez may well have been a blow, but Arteta has wasted no time in moving on and bouncing back after experiencing the most recent bump in the road. The focus appears to have now turned to Manchester City's Oleksandr Zinchenko - and it comes as little surprise.

HAVE YOUR SAY! Do you think Oleksandr Zinchenko is the type of player Arsenal need? Comment below.

Like Martinez, Zinchenko is another who has several strings to his bow. While Pep Guardiola has so often opted to deploy the Ukrainian at left-back, he has additionally been used in an array of midfield roles.

And all that after City signed him as a No.10. Guardiola recently revealed: "When we bought Oleks for £2million from Ukraine, he was a No.10 - a Phil Foden position, a creative player - but the needs we had... We didn't have a left-back for many years.

"Fabian Delph adapted incredibly well in that position and Oleks as well. That's happened because he is well-educated, he knows exactly what it means."

Pep even admitted that despite his tendency to utilise Zinchenko on the left of his defence, that he sees the 25-year-old thriving in an attacking midfield role in the long-term. He added: "In the position that we have in the midfield, in the pockets as the attacking midfielder. That is his position, definitely."

While the debate over Zinchenko's best position will likely rage on, there can be no denying he offers Arteta with plenty of options and will satisfy the Spaniard's evident craving for more players of a versatile nature. If anything, Martinez's snub could prove to be a blessing in disguise.

While United are stumping up in excess of £46m in order to land the Ajax defender, it seems highly unlikely Arsenal will be expected to part with such funds in order to land Zinchenko from City. The Premier League champions are thought to be open to sanctioning the left-back's sale if their valuation is met - though it remains to be seen what their valuation is.

In addition to Zinchenko providing Arsenal with a cheaper alternative, the Ukrainian possesses a wealth of Premier League experience and boasts four winners medals to his name. A deal may by no means be done, but should the Gunners get the transfer over the line, they'll be adding another player of proven Premier League quality.

It seems Arteta may well accomplish his aim of adding versatility to his ranks after all. There have been setbacks along the way in this exhilarating summer of Arsenal transfer activity, but the Spaniard remains undeterred.

The Gunners have once again responded by going all out to ensure they recruit in all the positions necessary this summer. And in Zinchenko, Arsenal may well be on the cusp of signing a player capable of adding quality all over the pitch.