The Bundesliga giants have reportedly held concrete talks with Zinchenko’s representatives in the last few days and were told the 28-year-old is keen to depart the Emirates in January.
According to Plettenberg, Arsenal are open to Zinchenko’s departure as well and are looking to offload the £150,000-a-week Ukrainian international on loan with an obligation to buy worth around €20m (£17m).
Zinchenko has struggled for regular Premier League minutes under Mikel Arteta this term, making just seven top-flight appearances and two starts.
The Ukrainian international has dropped down the pecking order since Riccardo Calafiori’s summer arrival at the Emirates and seems destined for a departure in 2025, after entering the final 18 months of his contract.
Arsenal may not need to find a replacement for Zinchenko if he leaves for Dortmund in January, as Jakub Kiwior can cover on the left, with Myles Lewis-Skelly also emerging as a first-team regular in recent weeks.
The Gunners are anticipating a busy end to their January transfer window and are thought to be targeting a new striker following Gabriel Jesus’ injury, which could sideline the Brazilian for a lengthy spell.
According to David Ornstein, Arsenal are likely to explore their options in the loan market for a Jesus replacement this month, as their preferred permanent targets may be unavailable or too expensive at this stage of the season.
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