Manchester City have named defender Oleksandr Zinchenko in their squad ahead of a pre-season tour of the USA this summer, despite Arsenal reportedly moving close to a transfer for the 25-year-old.
The Gunners were hunting down a move for Ajax ace Lisandro Martinez but competition from Manchester United eventually drove the price too high for the Arsenal's liking. Zinchenko is viewed as an attractive prospect by Mikel Arteta and someone who can make an immediate impact in improving the squad.
The 25-year-old is said to be open to a move away from the Etihad Stadium this summer in search of more game time. The versatile player made just 15 Premier League appearances last season for the champions, playing just 1,042 minutes of action.
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That appears to be a huge factor in his potential move to Arsenal. The Gunners are said to be close to sealing a deal in the region of £30million move for Zinchenko, while personal terms are yet to be agreed.
It could see the Ukraine international move down a similar route to that of striker Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian switched the Etihad Stadium for the Emirates Stadium for more first-team football, claiming he was convinced on reuniting with Arteta, whom he worked with during the Spaniard's time as assistant manager at Manchester City.
If there were any doubts as to what sort of player the Gunners could be getting in Zinchenko, team-mate Kyle Walker was full of praise. In a recent interview with YouTuber Timbsy, the full-back said: "He's [Zinchenko] incredible... he's incredible. Two touches, head tennis, he's so good, so so good."
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