The Ukrainian defender, Oleksandr Zinchenko is very close to joining the French League 1 side, Marseille in this summer transfer window. Zinchenko has understood that he doesn’t fit any longer in this newly shaped Arsenal team. He has lost his starting place already and it seems that Mikel Arteta will only use him in an injury crisis. Zinchenko also had a very underwhelming season this year. He barely performed at a high level. Amid this situation, Arsenal are happy to sell him this summer. Marseille has come up with an offer and everyone expects the deal to be completed in the coming days.
The Rebuild Process of Marseille
The French league has become competitive since the transition of PSG before Luis Enrique. Although this current PSG team are the clear favourites, teams like Lyon, Monaco and Marseille are building a squad to upset the league anytime. In case of Marseille, the club has tried to include some utility footballers this year. But somehow, they have failed to do so. Marseille wanted to bring in Spanish midfielder Dani Ceballos from Real Madrid. The club pushed hard for the move to happen, but Ceballos rejected the transfer at the last moment. On the other hand, French international Adrian Rabiot also has left the club. He has joined Italian club AC Milan on a permanent move. Along with the deal of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Marseille hope to land Benjamin Pavard from Inter Milan. The French club has once again reignited their interest in Nayef Aguerd from West Ham United. Sunderland are also in the fray. So, it can be said that Marseille have not done a satisfactory business in this transfer window yet. But their pursuit of Zinchenko remains firm till date. Meanwhile, head coach De Zerbi put his trust in the former Manchester United wonderkid, Mason Greenwood for this season.
🚨 EXCL: Marseille working on deal to sign Oleksandr Zinchenko from Arsenal. #OM exploring permanent move for 28yo defender but complicated by Ukraine int’l #AFC salary – significant issue + solution needed for deal to advance; talks ongoing @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/21vfZFo5li
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) August 29, 2025
Oleksandr Zinchenko Has Failed to Impress the Arsenal Board
Oleksandr Zinchenko emerged as a solid talent from the Dutch club, PSV Eindhoven. But the Ukrainian began his youth career at Shakhtar back in 2012. From there he moved to Manchester City during the 2016-17 season when Pep Guardiola took charge from Bayern Munich. He became an inevitable part of Pep’s team. He played in 128 matches for Manchester City and registered 2 goals and 12 assists. Then, he moved to Arsenal in the 2022-23 season. Since joining Arsenal, he has played 91 matches for the Gunners and has 3 goals and 5 assists to his name. But in the last two seasons, his performance has taken a significant downfall. From arriving at the Emirates as a long-term asset, Zinchenko is now on the verge of leaving the club this season. Many believe that the 28-year-old left back still has a lot to deliver. So, it will surely be beneficial for Marseille if they sign Zinchenko. Apart from being a left back, he can also operate as a midfielder. During his Manchester City spell, Zinchenko even operated as a makeshift winger, too. By all means, if this deal goes through, this is going to be a win-win situation for all parties involved.
What’s the Problem Between Zinchenko and Marseille?
If Zinchenko signs for Marseille, managing his wage demands won’t be easy for the French club. The only reason that the player hasn’t yet signed his contract is due to his salary demands. But Marseille still haven’t been able to come up with a better solution and time is running away. If Marseille do not sort out the issue, the advanced deal will collapse. Zinchenko is not going to play as a starter at Arsenal. On the other hand, Marseille will once again fail to secure a transfer deal this season.
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