Nottingham Forest sign £30m Arsenal player in shock late deal

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The transfer window closed at 7pm, but Nottingham Forest have agreed a shock deal with Arsenal for the signing of Oleksandr Zinchenko two hours after that time.

David Ornstein of The Athletic claims that those at the City Ground have struck a late agreement to take the £30m Ukraine international on loan for the 2025/26 campaign, after he fell out of favour under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal.

A deal sheet was submitted before the 7pm deadline – giving the Reds and the Gunners an additional two hours to work on the transfer.

Nottingham Forest have agreed personal terms with Oleksandr Zinchenko and have also shaken hands with Arsenal on the conditions of the loan.

Nottingham Forest sign Oleksandr Zinchenko on loan from Arsenal

Ornstein states that Nottingham Forest had initially been working on a deal to sign Javi Galan on loan from Atletico Madrid, but turned attention towards the Ukrainian after that move collapsed.

Zinchenko was a target for Porto – who signed Jakub Kiwior on loan from Arsenal on deadline day with a €17m (£14.7m) obligation to buy – but when that move failed to materialise, it looked like the man born in Radomyshl was set to stay at the Emirates Stadium.

The 28-year-old made just five Premier League starts last season, and has not been named in any squad so far this term after slipping behind the likes of Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly in the pecking order.

Oleksandr Zinchenko salary was causing issues for Arsenal

The new Nottingham Forest signing was believed to be earning £150,000-a-week in north London.

TBR Football understand many clubs were put off signing Zinchenko due to his salary, and it is believed this was the only reason he remained at Arsenal for so much of this summer.

However, when Nottingham Forest saw their move for Galan collapse, taking the Arsenal outcast on loan represented a quick solution.

Zinchenko is likely to have played his final game for Arsenal, as the 2025/26 campaign is the final season of his contract and he is set to become a free agent in June 2026.