According to Football Transfers, Oleksandr Zinchenko expressed his desire to leave Arsenal earlier this summer—but it was Mikel Arteta who personally convinced the Ukrainian international to stay in North London.

Back in June, speculation around Zinchenko’s future was rife, with clubs like AC Milan and Fulham reportedly showing interest. The 27-year-old, who has faced injury setbacks and competition for his starting spot, was said to be considering a new challenge away from the Emirates.

However, by July, all talk of an exit had gone quiet. The reason, sources claim, is Arteta himself—who stepped in with a direct conversation that helped reassure Zinchenko of his role and importance in the squad heading into the 2025/26 season.

Those words were backed by actions: Zinchenko was named in the starting XI for Arsenal’s recent pre-season friendly, a strong signal of trust from the manager ahead of the new campaign.