LONDON: Oleksandr Zinchenko became the second player to leave Manchester City to join Arsenal in this offseason after signing for a reported fee of 30 million pounds ($36 million) on Friday.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who was assistant coach at City from 2016-19, has already signed Gabriel Jesus from his former club.
Zinchenko, a midfielder who mostly played at left back for City, ended his six-year spell at Etihad Stadium, where he was never a first-team regular despite being the captain of Ukraine.
Arsenal did not disclose the length of Zinchenko’s contract.
“He’s a player that I personally know really well and continued to follow him after my time at Manchester City,” Arteta said.
“Alex is a high-quality player who will give us options and versatility.
“It’s not only about the positions he can play but as well, the versatility he will give us in attack and defense. Alex is a person with great human qualities and character, and I’m delighted that everyone has made this huge effort to bring Alex to the club.”
Arsenal technical director Edu said Zinchenko “was a main focus on our list” of possible transfers.
Zinchenko leaves Man City to join Arsenal for $36M
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Zinchenko leaves Man City to join Arsenal for $36M
- Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has already signed Gabriel Jesus from his former club
- Zinchenko ended his six-year spell at Etihad Stadium
Dubai Basketball edge Milan to secure EuroLeague victory
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball strengthened their home-court reputation with a 99-92 win over EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 18 of the EuroLeague at Coca-Cola Arena on Tuesday, cheered on by more than 5,000 fans.
The hosts made a fast start and immediately imposed themselves at both ends of the floor. Canadian center Mfiondu Kabengele and Serbian big man Filip Petrusev controlled the paint early, creating close-range scoring opportunities and forcing Milan into defensive adjustments. With McKinley Wright IV and Dwayne Bacon adding pace and penetration, Dubai surged into a double-digit lead and dictated the tempo of the opening quarter.
Milan struggled to settle and spent much of the first period on the back foot, as Dubai’s advantage stretched to 15 points. Although the visitors steadied themselves as the quarter progressed, the early deficit proved costly.
Dubai head coach Jurica Golemac praised the impact of the home crowd after the game, saying: “Congratulations to the fans. We were missing them for sure in the last home game, and they helped us a lot. In the first quarter, we played one of our best quarters this season. The next game is at home in three days, so there is no time to rest too much. We need to prepare for that game first. We are not thinking three games ahead — we prepare for every game and try to win every game.”
Milan showed improved rhythm in the second quarter, but Dubai responded before the break. Bacon punished defensive lapses from beyond the arc, while Kabengele finished strongly inside to help the hosts take a seven-point lead into halftime.
The final period was defined by composure rather than flair. Milan threatened to draw level on several occasions, but missed free throws and execution errors halted their momentum. Bacon sealed the outcome from the free-throw line in the final two minutes, pushing Dubai back into a double-digit advantage and closing out the contest.
Bacon led all scorers with 25 points, while Wright recorded 19 points and nine assists. Kabengele added 17 points, and Petrusev contributed 13 points and seven rebounds. For Milan, Guduric topped the scoring with 11 points, alongside seven rebounds and seven assists.
Dubai Basketball now turn their attention to the ABA League, where they remain unbeaten. The team return to Coca-Cola Arena to face Slovenia’s KRKA in Round 12 of the competition.
