Arsen Zakharyan is a 19-year-old Russian playmaker, who has been used in a large variety of roles during his time at Dynamo Moscow. He was on the verge of a move to the Premier League, but his transfer to Chelsea fell through in the latter stages of the transfer window. It is hard to buy a player from a Russian club, as sending money is not permitted due to current circumstances, and there is little else that can be done when a player is contracted to a club.
While the transfer has been complicated, Zakharyan has recently spoken to the media where he still persists that he wants to join Chelsea, and will be patient while the deal continues to be worked on. He has also attracted interest from the likes of West Ham, who will be keen on the player should Chelsea pull out of the deal.
In his third season in senior football, Zakharyan continues to shine with 2 goals and 5 assists in 14 games, where he will look to continue his streak of winning the fans Player of the Season award at Dynamo Moscow, after already winning it twice in his first two seasons for the club.
This tactical analysis will come in the form of a scout report to show what makes Arsen Zakharyan stand out, and why the fans love him already. The analysis will highlight the skills he possesses that make him such a valuable player for his team, and how his skillset may translate to the tactics in different potential systems.
Player Profile
Zakharyan is a very versatile player. He has the characteristics of an interior, the ability to create, carry and control the ball in central areas amongst other skills. As a result of his excellent technical skills, he belongs in central areas from where he can cause havoc for opposing teams from either half-space. However, his excellent output of goals and assists for Dynamo Moscow has resulted in him often playing in more advanced areas where he can produce effective performances when playing against weaker opposition.
This is clear in both the maps below. On the left, his heat map shows his ability to play in either half-space while also having the energy and awareness to track back into his own half when necessary. On the map on the right, we can see that the young Russian is equally comfortable playing on either side of the pitch, while also being able to play a supporting role in midfield or an attacking role in the last line equally effectively. In an era where there are more subs made each game, and where managers shift formations constantly, Zakharyans versatility makes him an interesting watch for scouts worldwide.
Dribbling Deficiencies
Below we can see Zakharyans ball-carrying from central areas come to life. This map shows how effective the teenager is when driving with the ball from central areas, although from his recent games, he has struggled to show variety in his runs. As a 6-foot-tall central player, it makes sense that Zakharyan is very good at bursting through central areas, where his long strides allow him to carry the ball over long distances and glide past his opponents, although this has also meant that we havent seen him attempt some different, more challenging dribbles.
He has proved that in transition, it is extremely hard to catch him, however, he hasnt displayed elite close control or dribbling skills through ball manipulation in tight spaces when he has come up against a low block.
We can see in the map belo
