Mikel Arteta used a “secret agent” to lure Oleksandr Zinchenko away from Manchester City and convince him to join Arsenal.
The Ukrainian has been a revelation since signing for the Gunners in a £32million transfer last summer. Zinchenko won four Premier League titles with City but made the bold decision to join Arteta’s project in favour of greater involvement.
It’s fair to say the move has since paid off, with Zinchenko thriving in an inverted left-back role while narrowly missing out on a Premier League triumph last season.
But he has now revealed while speaking to Footballers Lives on TikTok that his manager resorted to some cheeky tactics in signing him – ambushing the 26-year-old by inviting a surprise guest to his house during the crunch-talks.
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He said: "Mikel [Arteta] came to my house with a general director. We had a conversation [about] the way they see me in the club, which position, the project of the club and the structure and everything.
"And then we were sitting outside because it was such nice weather. Suddenly, someone rings my bell. I said, ‘Sorry, guys. I need to open the door to see maybe delivery or someone else.’”
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Zinchenko continued: "And there was just Gabriel Jesus behind my gate and I just said, ‘Nah, is this a joke?’ So secret agent came to my house and we had a good conversation, all of us. That was a really positive one."
Striker Jesus, a close friend of Zinchenko, had made the same move from City to Arsenal for similar reasons just weeks before. Both players immediately thrived in north London, elevating the side considerably upon arrival.
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Bu they have also been hampered by injuries at various stages. The Brazilian forward missed the bulk of last season due to a serious knee injury and was ruled out again in early August. Meanwhile, Zinchenko has suffered from the occasional niggle.
The former City duo have played fewer than 130 minutes of football in the Premier League this season due to their recent struggles.
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