Two Arsenal exits in the same position are hurtling towards the finish line, and what type of deals are expected to be finalised has been revealed.
It’s been a quiet window at Arsenal so far, but with just 10 days remaining, a pair of exits are rapidly heating up.
Firstly, a fresh update from The Telegraph claims left-back, Oleksandr Zinchenko, is ‘expected to leave’ before the February 3 deadline.
The Ukraine international, 28, has emerged as Borussia Dortmund’s new No 1 option for the left-back position. Dortmund had explored a the signing of Chelsea’s Renato Veiga, though he’s now heading to Juventus via the loan route.
Dortmund are reportedly ‘ready to make a move’ for Zinchenko and a prior report from Sky Germany revealed the type of deal that could be struck.
Taking to X, reporter Florian Plettenberg wrote on January 14: “Borussia Dortmund are exploring a deal to sign Oleksandr Zinchenko!
“Concrete talks have already taken place with the player’s management in the last days and are ongoing.
“The 28-year-old left-back is keen to leave Arsenal. Gunners open for a loan with an obligation to buy of approximately €20m. Dortmund had already shown interest last summer.”
Kieran Tierney bound for Celtic
Zinchenko’s fellow left-back, Kieran Tierney, is also heading out of Arsenal, though it’s not yet clear whether he leaves this window or in the summer.
A return to former club Celtic is ‘on the verge’ of being agreed, according to a second report from The Telegraph.
Tierney, 27, is out of contract in the summer and can sign a pre-contract agreement with non-Premier League sides having entered the final six months of his deal.
The report states: ‘Tierney is on the verge of agreeing a pre-contract with Celtic to seal an emotional return to the Scottish Premiership champions.’
TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Fraser Fletcher, has been informed Celtic are attempting to bring Tierney in right now.
Their aim is to sign the Scotland international on a six-month loan to ensure he spends the second half of the season in Glasgow.
The loan would then directly lead to Tierney signing for Celtic outright as a free agent, and Arsenal will insist on Celtic covering some or all of the player’s wages during the initial loan.
Whether Arsenal will accept a loan proposal remains to be seen, especially as fellow left-back Zinchenko looks to be leaving too.
However, Riccardo Calafiori is available for selection again following injury and the knee issue picked up by Myles Lewis-Skelly in the 2-2 draw with Aston Villa is “nothing serious”, according to Mikel Arteta.
In other news, former England international, Owen Hargreaves, has leapt to the defence of Kai Havertz when explaining why the mass criticism he receives is not justified.
“Everybody goes on about Kai being a centre forward,” began Hargreaves when speaking to TNT Sports. “I love him, I know he’s not a striker but he gives you so much.
“He has great awareness, he’s so patient. He’s got great awareness, he’s got great size, you can play off him as a 10, he can set people up.
“I think he gives you so much. I know he’s not [Victor] Osimhen or Harry Kane but actually he shouldn’t be your main striker but he is a brilliant option.
“He can play on the right, he can play at 10 or play as a false nine and I think he does it brilliantly and I think he gets far too much criticism.”
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