Arsenal report: One hurdle remains in Gunners' pursuit of Oleksandr Zinchenko

Oleksandr Zinchenko
(Image credit: Getty)

Arsenal have agreed a fee with Manchester City for the transfer of Oleksandr Zinchenko, according to reports.

The Gunners have already bolstered their squad with the signings of Fabio Vieira, Gabriel Jesus, Marquinhos and Matt Turner this summer.

Their business is done yet, though, with Mikel Arteta keen to add more bodies to the ranks before the transfer window closes at the start of September.

Zinchenko has emerged as a key target for the Gunners and City are willing to do business.

According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, the two clubs have reached an agreement over the weekend.

Oleksandr Zinchenko

(Image credit: Getty)

Arsenal will pay £30m to sign the former Ufa star, who moved to the Eithad Stadium in 2016 after the European Championship.

Zinchenko has enjoyed a hugely successful six-year spell in the northwest of England, winning four Premier League titles, four League Cups and an FA Cup.

The 25-year-old was predominantly deployed as a left-back under Pep Guardiola, but his natural position is in the centre of the park.

Zinchenko is likely to return to a midfield role at Arsenal in the upcoming campaign.

But the Gunners must first agree personal terms with the player, as negotiations over his salary continue.

Mikel Arteta

(Image credit: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arteta will want to get the deal done as quickly as possible so that Zinchenko has a few weeks to train with his new team-mates before the Premier League season gets under way.

Arsenal are currently on a pre-season tour of the United States, where they are competing with Chelsea, Everton, Charlotte, America and Orlando City in the Florida Cup.

They will kick-start the 2022/23 campaign with a game against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on August 6.

Arteta's side were well beaten by Palace last term, with their 3-0 loss in April preceding a poor run of form which ultimately saw Arsenal finish outside the top four and fail to qualify for the Champions League.

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).