Football News: Oleksandr Zinchenko leaves Manchester City pre-season to join Arsenal

According to reports on Monday, Arsenal and Zinchenko, 25, had reached an understanding regarding a four-year contract, and we're now finalizing their agreement.

The initial value of Arsenal's bid is thought to be £30 million, plus a further $2 million in possible add-ons for a total value of $36 million.

Zinchenko is believed to have left City's training camp in Houston, Texas, and is currently his route to Orlando, Florida, where he will have a medical. Edu, the sporting director of Arsenal, is also due in Orlando today to assist with the deal's completion.

He will follow the acquisitions of Marquinhos, Matt Turner, Fabio Vieira, and Gabriel Jesus as Arsenal's fifth summer signing.

Zinchenko, who transferred from the Russian team Ufa to City in 2016, will reunite with manager Mikel Arteta, who served as Guardiola's assistant at the Etihad Stadium. Zinchenko had been with Manchester City's camp in Houston, but he had already left to get a medical.

Zinchenko, who prefers to play in midfield for his country, has mainly been used at left-back by Guardiola. His flexibility is sure to be appealing, even though Arsenal has been looking to strengthen one specific field area.

Zinchenko has excelled at Manchester City, winning four Premier League games and four Carabao Cups. Additionally, he participated in the 2021 Champions League final and claimed one FA Cup victory.

He transferred from the Russian club Ufa to Manchester City in the summer of 2016 and has since made a total of 128 appearances for the Premier League team across all competitions.

Pep Guardiola bids farewell to Oleksandr Zinchenko

As Oleksandr Zinchenko nears a deal to Arsenal, Pep Guardiola has lauded the effort the Ukrainian international has consistently put out at Manchester City.

Arsenal, like Manchester City, are on a pre-season tour of the United States, is ready to welcome Zinchenko, and the transfer procedures are anticipated to be finished shortly. The versatile 25-year-old, who can play left back and midfield, has a contract worth £30 million.

Zinchenko reunites with his former teammate Gabriel Jesus at Arsenal, according to Guardiola, who announced Manchester City's friendly match against Club América in Texas.

"On behalf of the club [I would like to express] gratitude for the effort, how they behave on and off the pitch," Guardiola bid adieu to Zinchenko."

"It was nice with Alex yesterday because we could say goodbye properly. Unfortunately, with Raheem and Gabriel, we could not do it because it was the summertime, but yesterday we could say goodbye to him and move on to Arsenal."

While in Florida, Arsenal is scheduled to play Orlando City on Thursday and Chelsea on Saturday.

Once a £30 million ($36 million) agreement for the Ukrainian international is completed, Mikel Arteta has been explaining his ideas for Oleksandr Zinchenko. The Arsenal manager is willing to play the converted left-back in midfield.

When Pep Guardiola and Arteta were working at Manchester City, the 25-year-old switched to defence.

Arsenal is excited to have made an "exceptional" piece of transfer business, and that adaptability may come in handy at Emirates Stadium.

When reporters asked Mikel Arteta if he would be playing Zinchenko in defence or midfield, he told them: "He can play both."

"He was a natural No 10 early in his career, and we converted him into a left-back, which can do a lot of things that we want in our way of playing," Arteta told media persons.

"That versatility is something that's going to be important for the team because we have other players in that position than more specific full-backs, so I'm really happy."

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