Oleksandr Zinchenko is expected to leave Arsenal this summer.
The Ukraine international joined the Gunners from Manchester City in 2022 and played a big part in helping the Gunners become title contenders.
However, fitness issues and his weakness while defending forced Mikel Arteta to use other players at left-back. Riccardo Calafiori’s arrival and Myles Lewis-Skelly’s emergence pushed Zinchenko even further down the pecking order.
Now, with just one year left on his contract, the former Shakhtar Donetsk man is set to leave, and Arsenal could use another club’s interest to make a massive signing.
Arsenal need a new winger this summer.
The Gunners’ focus is on a prolific striker, and Benjamin Sesko is Arteta’s top target. But, a top-class wide player is also a necessity.
A number of wingers have been linked with a move to Arsenal, including Rafael Leao of AC Milan.
Arsenal fans are in love with Leao after watching him in the Nations League final, and many would love to see him at the Emirates.
Now, Gianluca Di Marzio has claimed that AC Milan are interested in signing Oleksandr Zinchenko from Arsenal, which could open the door for Leao.
Andrea Berta, who is Italian, could use his connections to strike a player-plus-cash deal that would see the Ukrainian move to the San Siro and Leao come to the Emirates.
Leao has a £150 million release clause in his contract. However, reports have claimed that Milan could sell Leao for around £84 million this summer.
Arsenal signed Zinchenko for £32 million from Manchester City three years ago.
That felt like good value at the time, and the Ukraine international even made it seem like a bargain with his performances early on in his Gunners career.
However, now, Zinchenko has just over 12 months left on his contract at the Emirates, so Arsenal will have to accept a small fee.
Tutto Juve claim that Berta is ready to accept a fee between €10-15 million (£8.5m-£12.7m) for Zinchenko this summer.
That will not make Leao significantly cheaper in a potential player-plus-cash swap deal, but every little helps.
