Former Arsenal star Andrey Arshavin has told Chelsea target Arsen Zakharyan that he 'must' join the Blues. The 19-year-old wonderkid was heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge late into the summer transfer window as Todd Boehly looked to draft in cover for Thomas Tuchel's injury-ridden midfield.
Zakharyan confirmed that he had accepted an offer from the Blues, after it was said that Todd Boehly activated the £12.6million release clause in his contract with Dynamo Moscow. However, the west Londoners faced several complications which stopped a deal from being completed.
Due to British sanctions placed on Russia, as well as various other rules and regulations set by FIFA on the transfers of Russia or Ukraine-based players, a move proved too difficult with such little time to work with. However, a deal doesn't look to be entirely off of the cards, with Arshavin instructing his fellow countryman to join Chelsea.
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"I'm not upset that Zakharyan's transfer to Chelsea failed," said the former Arsenal star, as quoted by Hrach Khachatryan. "Well, he will join in January. At first, he will not be starter, but then he will be. He must join Chelsea."
It takes two to tango, and it turns out that Zakharyan is in fact still hoping for a move to Stamford Bridge. Speaking to the Evening Standard, the Russia international said: "There was an offer, but it just didn't work out. You probably know the reasons.
"How could I refuse? Of course, I agreed [to the move]. I hope everything will be fine, perhaps [it will happen] in the winter [window]. Of course, the level there is much higher than in the Russian Premier League, but everything is possible. Maybe it would work there. I could always go on loan."
Zakharyan played 34 games for Dynamo last season across all competitions, scoring seven goals and providing a further eight assists in 29 appearances. He would have been the sixth teenager join Chelsea in the summer as Boehly plans to pave a bright future for the club.
Omari Hutchinson, Zak Sturge, Cesare Casadei, Carney Chukwuemeka and Gabriel Slonina have all penned deal with the Blues in recent months. While yet to make a senior appearance for the club, they could quickly become of great use with a congested fixture list just around the corner.
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