Zinchenko's nightmare start at Ajax - his season could be over after just 20 minutes
Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 15.02.26. | 18:15
The former Arsenal and Manchester City full-back picked up a horrible injury on his home debut in Amsterdam
Life can sometimes be so unfair to certain individuals. Just check out Oleksandr Zinchenko's case.
The former Manchester City and Arsenal full-back, who spent the first part of the ongoing season on loan at Nottingham Forest, was eager to revive his career with a recent move to Ajax Amsterdam, in search of minutes ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
The 29-year-old Ukrainian made his Ajax debut a few days ago, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1-1 away draw to AZ Alkmaar.
After just a few minutes into his first start for Ajax, Oleksandr Zinchenko was forced off the pitch with what seems to be a serious injury.
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) February 15, 2026
"I'm definitely worried about him.", said Ajax coach Fred Grim. 🏥🤕 pic.twitter.com/VOLRI4YoUo
This weekend, it should have been his special day, as Ajax's coach Fred Grim placed him in the starting XI for the clash against Fortuna Sittard at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
Alas, his game lasted only six minutes as he suffered a terrible left-knee injury.
After a clash, Fortuna's Dimitrios Limnios, Zinchenko screamed in visible pain, and received an on-pitch treatment before needing to be helped back to the dressing room.
"At the moment, it's not clear how serious Oleksandr Zinchenko's injury is," the Ajax boss said after the game.
"He will undergo an MRI scan. Hopefully, we'll know more soon and it won’t be too serious."
However, Dutch media report that this could be the end of his season, as the injury appears severe.
Zinchenko already missed a lot of action between October and early December 2025, while still at Arsenal, where he made 91 appearances across three seasons.