Oleksandr Zinchenko appears to be moving closer to sealing a transfer to Arsenal this summer. It comes after the Gunners agreed a £30million fee with Manchester City for the 25-year-old.
Talks for the versatile defender accelerated after Mikel Arteta’s side failed to progress in a deal with Ajax for Lisandro Martinez. The Argentina international, who can play at left-back, centre-back and in the midfield, instead opted for a switch to Premier League rivals Manchester United.
Zinchenko offers versatility too, playing at both left-back and central midfield when called upon. Squad depth and quality were issues in both positions for the Gunners last season as they fell just short of a top four finish.
Kieran Tierney’s injury troubles meant the left flank was short at times, with Nuno Tavares struggling to adapt in his first season of English football and Granit Xhaka occasionally called upon to fill the role. That would also leave the centre of the park stretched beyond the usual choice of the Swiss international and Thomas Partey.
Despite talks progressing, Arteta was coy on a deal for Zinchenko, telling reporters on Monday: “When there are updates, we will let you know.” It doesn’t appear to have taken long for those updates though, as David Ornstein reports that an agreement for personal terms has been reached.
The contract is set to last for four-years, leaving just a medical as the only remaining hurdle. The report adds that the medical is likely to take place this week, with signing number five just around the corner.
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