Porto named as 'main suitors' for forgotten Arsenal defender with no future under Mikel Arteta

Oleksandr Zinchenko has interest from Portuguese giants Porto as he looks to secure an exit from Arsenal after dropping out of Mikel Arteta's plans.

Porto named as 'main suitors' for forgotten Arsenal defender with no future under Mikel ArtetaPorto named as 'main suitors' for forgotten Arsenal defender with no future under Mikel ArtetaPorto named as 'main suitors' for forgotten Arsenal defender with no future under Mikel Arteta

وفق CaughtOffside Porto are among the protagonists in the transfer hunt for Arsenal defender Zinchenko, who has fallen out of favour under Arteta at the Emirates Stadium. Fenerbahce and Real Betis are also thought to be keeping an eye on developments, but the Ukraine international is into the final year of his contract and could be content to sit the season out before moving on a free transfer if a suitable offer doesn’t arrive in the final few weeks of the summer window.

Having arrived in north London from in 2022 as a versatile player with title-winning experience, Zinchenko has dropped down the pecking order at left-back. Teenage star Myles Lewis-Skelly has made the position his own after a fabulous breakout season in 2024-25, while Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber are also more than capable of filling in when required.

The 28-year-old is also unlikely to get back into Arteta’s first-choice midfield, with Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino already options alongside new arrivals Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard.

Zinchenko recently named his inactivity during 2024-25 as the main reason for what he called the “worst season I ever experienced as a professional”. He will surely be keen to move elsewhere soon to ensure he doesn’t spend another campaign on the sidelines, but whether that transfer materialises this summer remains to be seen.