Arsenal have given approval for Oleksandr Zinchenko to join Ajax Amsterdam, according to Dutch outlet De Telegraaf.
The Ukrainian international is now close to completing a permanent switch to the Eredivisie side after weeks of talks between all parties involved.
Zinchenko had joined Nottingham Forest on loan during the summer window, but that spell ended earlier than planned after the deal was terminated.
Arsenal have now agreed to sell the left-back to Ajax for a fee reported to be above €1.5 million, with a possible Champions League bonus included.
As part of the agreement, Arsenal are also prepared to cover almost the full value of Zinchenko’s remaining salary at the club.
This step played a key role in pushing the move forward after initial discussions stalled for a significant period.
Why Ajax opted for a permanent deal
The original plan from Ajax was to sign Zinchenko on loan for the second half of the season. However, Dutch employment rules made that option difficult to complete under the existing conditions.
Regulations in the Netherlands require non-EU players to earn at least €260,000 to qualify for a valid work permit.
Because of this rule, a loan structure was no longer suitable, and a permanent transfer became the only workable solution.
Ajax were neither able nor willing to match Zinchenko’s Premier League salary under those regulations.
A sale allowed Arsenal to absorb most of the financial burden while still securing a transfer fee.
This approach ultimately satisfied the legal requirements while keeping the deal realistic for Ajax.
Talks delayed by salary dispute
According to the report, Negotiations took longer than expected due to the involvement of three clubs.
Ajax, Arsenal, and Nottingham Forest all had to reach agreement before progress could be made.
One major obstacle was Arsenal’s initial reluctance to pay most of Zinchenko’s wages after ending his Forest loan.
Ajax made it clear they could not take on such a high salary under their current structure. For a period, this disagreement slowed talks and created uncertainty around the move.
Ajax later set a firm deadline and informed Arsenal of plans to explore other options. The Dutch club stated they would move on if no breakthrough was reached by Thursday evening.
That warning proved decisive, as talks quickly gained pace shortly after. Arsenal then softened their stance and agreed to take on the larger share of the salary.
With those issues resolved, the remaining details were finalised without further delay. Zinchenko is now expected to travel to Amsterdam to complete his move and sign his contract.