Manchester City are reportedly pushing for the £30m sale of Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal in order to accelerate the signing of Brighton and Hove Albion left-back Marc Cucurella.
According to the Daily Mail, the Premier League champions want to wrap up the sale of the Ukrainian international in the coming days as it will free up both funds and a space in the squad to sign Cucurella, with Zinechko expected to move to Arsenal for £30m as City could snap up the Seagulls left-back for as much as £50m.
Cucurella has been on City’s radar for the majority of the window, with the Catalan-born defender excelling in his first year in England after joining Brighton from La Liga side Getafe, with Pep Guardiola now keen to sign the 23-year-old, with the Manchester side first looking to offload Zinchenko to Arsenal.
As per the report, Mikel Arteta is closing to signing the versatile 25-year-old, with Zinchenko set to act as backup to both Kieran Tierney at left-back as well as central midfield cover for Granit Xhaka, two positions the Gunners have been looking to fill this summer.
Arsenal were strongly linked with a move for Lisandro Martinez, but Manchester United have beaten the north London side to the Ajax defender, with Erik Ten Hag set to spend a reported €64m (£55m) for the Argentine international.
Indeed, Zinchenko could be a more astute signing for Arsenal, and for City, the £30m transfer will give Guardiola the finances and the excuse to make a move for Brighton’s Cucurella, who could become the club’s new starting left-back in the years to come if he settles to life in Manchester.
Selling Zinchenko to Arsenal to sign Cucurella is genius from City
Zinchenko has been a great servant to City as a versatile player who has impressed when called upon, yet this summer feels right for the 25-year-old to depart for a club like Arsenal where he will play more in his natural midfield role under a coach who knows the Ukrainian well, and more important, it opens the door for Cucurella to move up north.
City have had weird luck with left-backs in recent years with Zinchenko and Joao Cancelo not naturals in the position, yet Cucurella feels like a step in the right direction to fleshing out the role in a meaningful way, and the Catalan defender could be excellent under Guardiola in the years to come.
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