Mikel Arteta excited by prospect of reuniting with Oleksandr Zinchenko

Arsenal have all but completed the signing of Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City and manager Mikel Arteta is clearly excited by the prospect of reuniting with the Ukrainian.

Arteta worked with Zinchenko during his time as Pep Guardiola’s assistant up in Manchester and has already teamed up with a former Cityzen in Gabriel Jesus this summer.

After pulling out of the race to sign Lisandro Martinez from Ajax, Arsenal moved swiftly to complete a deal for Zinchenko. Within days of talks opening up between the two clubs, a deal was agreed and personal terms were never going to be a problem with the player keen to earn more regular first-team opportunities elsewhere.

The Gunners will announce Zinchenko as their fifth summer signing in the next 24-48 hours and his £32m purchase will take the club’s spending to over £119m. Once again, Arteta is getting the backing he desired.

Mikel Arteta is excited to reunite with Oleksandr Zinchenko

Zinchenko’s departure from Manchester City was confirmed by Pep Guardiola and the 25-year-old watched on alongside Edu in the stands as Arsenal beat Orlando City 3-1 in the second leg of their US tour.

Some believe that the Ukrainian could take the field at the weekend as the Gunners take on Chelsea but Arteta confirmed that a “few formalities” need to be completed before Zinchenko is officially unveiled as an Arsenal player.

Speaking after the win in Orlando, the Gunners boss said on Arsenal’s impending new arrival: “He’s an exceptional footballer and is someone that is going to bring a competitive edge to that dressing room.

“I’m really happy to have him, I know the player really well,” Arteta told GOAL.

The Ukrainian’s versatility is undoubtedly why the Gunners viewed him as a suitable alternative to Martinez – even if the pair excel in different areas of the pitch. Zinchenko started out as a creative midfielder but was reinvented as a full-back at City. However, he still plays in midfield for the national team, and Arteta admitted that the 25-year-old could perform several roles in his system.

“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,” the boss said.

“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.”

This is a signing that almost every supporter is excited about. Just look at Mikel’s smile as he talks about him. That says it all.