Mikel Arteta has confirmed new £32million left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko is in line to make his Arsenal debut against Chelsea.
The versatile 25-year-old, who quit Manchester City ’s USA tour to complete the move, is here in Florida for the Gunners’ pre-season friendly, which kicks off at 1am Sunday morning UK time.
Arteta said: “He’s going to train, he’s allowed to train and if he feels good, maybe tomorrow he’s got some minutes.
“We’ll make that decision but I reassure you that the player is going to be pushing to play some minutes.”
Zinchenko - who has shared an image of him as a youngster wearing an Arsenal shirt on his Instagram account after completing the move - said: "I am here to achieve big things and I hope we can win some titles. I hope we are going to fight for every title in which we are going to be involved.
"Even from the last season, I was watching Arsenal's games and I could smell it's coming, you know? The team is growing up so quickly and I think it's time. It's time to do our best and to achieve something big."
The Ukrainian has signed a long-term contract with Arsenal and is their fifth signing of the summer.
“We are really happy,” added Arteta. “For what we planned and where we are today, we are pretty far on those plans.
“Everything is going really well and now it’s about finalising what we wanted to do. Obviously we have a big squad and some of the players have to leave and that’s what we’re trying to get – that balance right.”
Asked whether his spending had finished, Arteta hinted he could yet make one more signing.
“We’ll see,” he went on. “We will try to keep improving the team that’s for sure.”
Zinchenko’s arrival caps a productive summer for the north Londoners who have responded to their failure to make last season’s top four by addressing their problem areas.
He follows £45million striker Gabriel Jesus from the Etihad to the Emirates. Keeper Matt Turner joined from New England for £5.5million, young midfielder Fabio Vieira has been snapped up from Porto for £34million and Brazilian winger Marquinhos has arrived from Sao Paolo for just £3million.
