Oleksandr Zinchenko takes the knee for Arsenal (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
AC Milan are reportedly now in talks to sign Arsenal left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, according to Alfredo Pedulla of Football Italia.
The Ukraine international, valued at around €20m by Transfermarkt, is emerging as a top target for Milan as they prepare to lose Theo Hernandez this summer.
Football Italia’s report explains that Milan are in talks with Arsenal regarding Zinchenko, while Hernandez could be on his way to Atletico Madrid.
The Frenchman previously turned down Saudi Pro League giants Al Hilal, but it now seems he could be on his way out of Milan anyway if a move to Madrid works out.
This could now mean we’re heading towards a big-name Arsenal departure in this window.
Oleksandr Zinchenko’s likely Arsenal exit makes sense after difficult season
Zinchenko shone when he first made the move to the Emirates Stadium from Manchester City in the summer of 2022.
The 28-year-old settled in quickly and helped Arsenal challenge City very closely for the Premier League title that season.
However, after playing 27 league games in each of his first two seasons with the Gunners, he appeared only 23 times in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign.
Arsenal signed Riccardo Calafiori in that position last summer, while homegrown youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly is now also a regular for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Can Zinchenko revive his career in Milan?
On his day, Zinchenko is a superb player with great technical ability, and a fine range of passing when he inverts into midfield.
Arteta perhaps ended up dropping him due to his defensive lapses, however, with his playing style perhaps leaving the team a little exposed at times.
One imagines, however, that Zinchenko could do better in a weaker league where the pace of the game is a little slower.
A number of Premier League flops have revived their careers in Italy, with former Chelsea players such as Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Fikayo Tomori all on the books as key players for Milan.
