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By Nadji Grizzle
Posted on 29 August 2025, 15:33
Arsenal in talks with Marseille to sell experienced defender - Arsenal
French club Marseille has entered talks with Arsenal to sign Oleksandr Zinchenko. The 28-year-old has fallen down the pecking order at Arsenal behind Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly and has admitted recently that his lack of minutes has taken a toll on his morale at the club.
Transfer insider David Ornstein has reported that talks between the two clubs are ongoing, but the player’s salary is causing a significant issue at the moment. The Ukraine international is a four time Premier League winner with Manchester City, making the move to Arsenal in 2022 in a £32m deal.
He featured heavily for Mikel Arteta’s side when first joining the club, making 33 appearances in his debut year, followed by 35 in the next campaign. Last season saw him lose his place through a combination of injuries and the emergence of Lewis-Skelly.
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He managed just 15 appearances in 2024/25, most of which came from the bench. He was omitted from both Arsenal squads for their opening two matches of the current season against Man United and Leeds, casting further doubt on his future at the club.
He has entered the final year of his contract and has a reported value of €20m.
Zinchenko could depart Arsenal
Arsenal are understandably focused on outgoings at this point in the window, having spent around £260million on incomings. Zinchenko alongside Reiss Nelson, Jakub Kiwior, Fabio Vieira, and Albert Sambi Lokanga could all make way before the window closes as Arsenal look to recoup funds and lower their wage bill.
Kiwior is reportedly close to signing for FC Porto, while Nelson is in talks with Crystal Palace. Arsenal will be looking to add a defender if one or both of Kiwior and Zinchenko leave, and have advanced in negations with Bayer Leverkusen for Piero Hincapie.
The structure of the deal for Zinchenko to join Marseille is unknown at this point, and the player would likely have to take a pay cut to join the French side.
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