Kyle Walker says £30m Arsenal player has been crucial for Mikel Arteta’s side

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For the second season in a row, Arsenal are challenging for the Premier League title.

And this season, it’s one of the most exciting races we’ve seen in years, with three teams in pursuit of the hallowed trophy.

Arsenal are currently third in the table, but they’re just two points below leaders Liverpool, who have 63 points to their name.

Manchester City are then sandwiched in between the Gunners and the Reds, on 62 points. Needless to say, it’s very tight at the top.

Last season, things just clicked for Arsenal, who went from an ailing side that couldn’t even get into the top four to a title challenger.

One of the catalysts for this upturn in quality (or two, if we’re being pedantic) was the Gunners’ double signing from Manchester City.

Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus swapped the Etihad Stadium for the Emirates Stadium, and both helped take Arsenal to the next level.

Kyle Walker has now given his verdict on how the Gunners have been faring. Speaking on Rio Ferdinand‘s Vibe with FIVE, he also paid tribute to the three men who went from M11 to N5.

“You’ve took our assistant coach as your manager,” said Walker, which prompted laughs from show co-hosts Ferdinand, Joel Beya and Stephen Howson.

“You’ve got Zinchenko that I think is a very big part of it, and Gabby. But I’ll give you credit, it’s a very good team.”

Oleksandr Zinchenko helped lay foundations at Arsenal to return to the top levels

Although Zinchenko may not be a guaranteed starter at present, we can’t forget the impact he made in his first season at Arsenal.

The £30million man provided so much quality as an inverted full-back, giving the Gunners an extra man in midfield.

Zinchenko’s efforts took Arsenal up a level and had them challenging his former club for the title.

And even though they fell short in the end, Zinchenko – and Jesus and everyone else of course – helped laid some very important foundations

The Gunners got into the Champions League, making them a much more attractive destination for the very best players than in previous years.