Transfer Gossip: Arsenal keen on Nico Williams; Jadon Sacho Joined with move to PSG, Dortmund and Juventus
Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko speaks to BBC Sport chief football news reporter Simone Stone about opening up a restaurant in in Kyiv, Ukraine with his wife:
“It was our dream to make something special in our home and the place we feel most comfortable, in Kiev, in Ukraine,” he said. “We have been working, especially my wife, super hard to get it done.
“I know it is the toughest time of our independent time as a country and maybe it is not the ideal timing to start a new business but still we believe the war will finish very soon and this will be there.”
“A football career is too short,” he said. “You don’t realise it until it is done.
“I am 27 and I can feel how time flies. While you are working so hard, you are earning money that you need to invest in the right way. While you are a football player, you have a lot of different things you can do to waste your money, to put it into the bin and buy a lot of different stuff.
“In this case, my wife has helped me to do the right thing.”
“Arsenal can achieve a lot of good things”
Arsenal
Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko tells BBC Sport chief football news reporter Simon Stone Arsenal “are on the right way” and aims to surpass “best team in the world” Manchester City:
“I don’t think we need to copy someone like City. Of course at the moment they are probably the best team in the world. If you look at the stats and titles they have won in the last couple of years, it is amazing.
“You always need to look at the best and try to but not be like them, we need to be on top of them. Mikel and his staff are doing an amazing job here.
“I have known him for a while of course, since I was at City. I always knew he would be an amazing manager. The development of the club inside, you can see the progress.
“I know people outside the club can see it but from the inside as well. Arsenal are on the right way. I really hope and believe in the close future Arsenal can achieve a lot of good things.”
I think City will win the title again, Arsenal will be second, Man Utd third and Brighton, Liverpool, Villa, Spurs will fight it out for the rest of the European places with Southampton, Forest and Leicester going down.
The Guardian, external report that Brazil midfielder Joelinton, 27, says he is happy at Newcastle United and believes 26-year-old compatriot Bruno Guimaraes is “going to stay” at the club, despite being linked with a move away.
Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko spoke to BBC Sport chief football news reporter Simon Stone about how “demanding” the Premier League is:
How much City pushed us extra in the last two years, it shows how demanding the league is and where the level is. I used to say the Premier League is the toughest in the world.
Every single opponent can beat each other and every game is like a final here. This is not just words, this is true. Even in the beginning of the season, you can lose some games and drop some points and think you will be back. It shows how demanding this league is. You need to be at 100 or even more in every single game.
Villa will struggle with the Champs League balance, Newcastle can’t keep their players fit, Spurs weren’t great after the Chelsea game last season, Chelsea have set themselves probably even farther back than square one due to their unproven-at-this-level manager, Man U seem to have the most boring manager going who can only get his players motivated for certain big matches. So, top four of City, Arsenal, Liverpool and West Ham (a boy can dream!)
Harry, Maidstone
It’s all over in Tokyo and Brighton have put five past Kashima Antlers in their pre-season friendly.
New signing Yankuba Minteh opened the scoring before Jeremy Sarmiento and Yasin Ayari made it 3-0.
Amario Cozier-Duberry then scored twice in 11 minutes to make it 5-0 before Kashima Antlers pulled one back before full-time.
Arsenal
Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko speaks to BBC Sport chief football news reporter Simon Stone about helping Jurrien Timber to settle into the squad:
“I knew him before he came to Arsenal. I played against him for the national team at the Euros. I knew him as a player. He is an unbelievable player and an unbelievable guy. He is so humble.
“He is working super hard. Unfortunately for him he just picked up an injury but he is doing amazing now. I was watching all the process, the way he was coming back from the injury, how much he was working.
“Chapeau to him and everything he has done. He deserves a lot of credit. I wish for every single player in the club to do his best. That is the only way to achieve a lot of things.”
