Arsenal land fifth signing after agreeing long-term contract

Arsenal have landed their fifth signing of the transfer window after reaching an agreement with Manchester City to sign Oleksandr Zinchenko. The Ukrainian's arrival will take Mikel Arteta's summer spend beyond the £100 million mark.

Zinchenko was among Arteta's top targets going into the off-season, but the club also explored other targets before returning for the Ukraine international. The Gunners have now secured a deal for the 25-year-old's signature after holding talks with Manchester City and the player during the course of last week.

According to The Athletic's David Ornstein, Arsenal reached an agreement with the Premier League champions first before negotiating personal terms with Zinchenko. The fee agreed is expected to be an upfront fee of £30 million with a further £2 million in achievable add-ons.

Zinchenko was open to leaving the Etihad Stadium this summer for the promise of regular football. Meanwhile, Arteta was seeking a versatile player that can not only provide cover at left-back, but also play his trade in midfield - a role the Ukrainian is perfectly suited for.

The north London club has agreed a four-year deal with Zinchenko until the summer of 2026. The Ukrainian is currently with City on their pre-season tour of the United States.

Zinchenko is now expected to leave his current employers and join Arteta's squad, who are also Stateside. Arsenal landed in Orlando, Florida earlier this week ahead of their games against Orlando City FC and Chelsea in the coming days.

"Arsenal are in the process of finalising a move for Oleksandr Zinchenko after reaching an agreement in principle," Ornstein wrote. "If all goes to plan, Zinchenko will leave City's pre-season tour to undergo a medical and sign for the north London club."

Zinchenko has enjoyed tremendous success with the Manchester club. The Ukrainian is a four-time Premier League champion, while also having won the League Cup as many times and playing in the 2021 Champions League final.

The Ukraine national team skipper will be the fifth player through the door this summer following the arrivals of Marquinhos, Matt Turner, Fabio Vieira and Gabriel Jesus. Arsenal are expected to continue strengthening their squad ahead of the new season with a winger on the the agenda next.