Manchester City midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko arrived in London and signed a contract with Arsenal. The Citizens will receive about 40 million euros for the player’s transfer, which will become one of the most expensive transfers in the history of Ukrainian football.

Zinchenko moved to England in 2016 and he denies anything to do with Russia. At the end of February, Alexander called on the world community to disqualify Russian athletes, prohibit our companies from providing sponsorship, stop the sale of rights to television broadcasts, and wished Russia many more bad things.

Is the behavior of a Ukrainian correct? After all, Zinchenko made a career in Ufa and it was thanks to the Russian club that he earned a ticket to big-time sports.

Alexander Zinchenko / Photo: © RIA Novosti / Dmitry Mukhametkulov

Zinchenko came to Russia in 2014

Before signing a full-fledged professional contract, Alexander played ball at the amateur level in the Mitinsky Football League in Moscow. Then he was 18 years old. It was from there that he moved to Bashkortostan. Ufa signed the midfielder in early February 2015 and immediately offered him Russian citizenship so that he would not be considered a legionnaire. But the Ukrainian refused.

Zinchenko quickly adapted to the new place and became a favorite of the local public, who several times recognized him as the best player of the month. And the midfielder was remembered for a funny interview during the break of the match with Mordovia. Ufa was losing, Alexander was worried, so he greatly exaggerated the playing potential.

– First of all, this is a very responsible game, you can say for 12 points. One feels very nervous, – Alexander said, reversing the famous cliché “game for six points.”

Be that as it may, the game of the young Ukrainian in the RPL was impressive. Everyone was sure that the Russian grand would soon sign this guy. But the story turned out to be even cooler – he was spotted not by Spartak, not by Zenit, but by one of the main clubs in England – Manchester City. In July 2016, Zinchenko signed a four-year contract with the Citizens and went on loan to the Dutch PSV. A year later he returned to Manchester, but Josep Guardiola did not become an iron start player.

Shamil Gazizov / Photo: © FC Ufa

Ufa wants to raise money for the transfer of Zinchenko

After the transfer of Zinchenko to Arsenal, Ufa should receive solidarity payments. Apparently, this option was spelled out in the agreement between the Russian club and Manchester City.

“We will be entitled to solidarity payments in the event of his transfer. The amount is calculated very easily. I think about 300 thousand euros. But I haven’t counted for sure yet. This is how it’s done officially. Let’s make a request if he passes. We will have to pay. But now, due to the sanctions, it will be difficult to transfer money. In England, solidarity payments are sent through the federation: clubs pay her, and she pays us, RB Sport quoted Gazizov as saying.

Thus, Zinchenko will help his former club, although he certainly opposes this. Will it interfere with these payments? Will they hire lawyers? He has little chance of winning. Mikel Arteta is more likely to play, because the competition at Arsenal is weaker than in Guardiola’s great team.