Oleksandr Zincheko has labelled Mikel Arteta as "the most important role" in his decision to join Arsenal from Manchester City.
The versatile left-back, who regularly plays in midfield when captaining Ukraine, travelled to meet up with the Gunners on their pre-season tour of the United States earlier in the week.
Zinchenko was present as Arsenal defeated Orlando City 3-1 on Wednesday, before his move to the Gunners became official on Friday.
The 25-year-old is thought to have signed a contract at the Emirates Stadium until the end of the 2025-26 season, with Arsenal reportedly paying an initial £30million, and £2m in potential add-ons.
Zinchenko worked with Arteta during the Spaniard's time at City as an assistant coach to Pep Guardiola, and says the former Arsenal and Everton midfielder was a big draw to moving to north London.
"I would say it's the most important role in my decision because I've known [Mikel] for a while, I used to work with him at Manchester City," Zinchenko told Arsenal's official website.
"The way we were working together, I was so impressed because I remember how many times we were working hard in the training sessions and then straight after with individual stuff and I took a lot from the manager and I hope I can take even more.
"Since the first day at City I knew that he's going to be a very good manager. The way he can see football, especially I was watching the last season of Arsenal's games and I was really enjoying it.
"You can see in the style, the picture of the game, so I would love to see it [while] playing and being involved."
Zinchenko leaves City as a four-time Premier League champion, insisting he is eager for another test.
"I'm ready for another challenge. I'm not here just to waste my time and the time of Arsenal because the club is always in front of everyone," he added.
"I am here to achieve big things and I hope we can win some titles, and I hope we are going to fight for every title in which we are going to be involved.
"Even from the last season, I was watching Arsenal's games and I could smell it's coming, you know? The team is growing up so quickly and I think it's time. It's time to do our best and to achieve something big."
It remains to be seen whether Zinchenko will be utilised in defence or further forward, though the Ukraine international will hope to emulate one of his childhood heroes Cesc Fabregas by playing in midfield.
"This is a boyhood dream come true, because I was a massive fan when I was a kid," he continued.
"Since Thierry Henry and young Cesc Fabregas was playing here, I was just enjoying watching those games, that Arsenal. And obviously I started to love this club, so I am so excited and I cannot wait to play for this amazing club."
Mat Sadler hails attacking options after Walsall leave it late to beat Swindon
Walsall boss Mat Sadler cannot believe the attacking weapons he has at his disposal after Danny Johnson struck a late winner to beat Swindon 2-1 and boost their play-off hopes.
On-loan West Brom forward Mo Faal nodded Walsall ahead but they were made to pay for missing a string of chances to extend that lead by Paul Glatzel’s screamer for Swindon.
However, Johnson volleyed home a brilliant 89th-minute winner from fellow sub Jamille Matt’s knockdown to lift Walsall to within a point of seventh-placed Crawley with two games to go.
“That last 15 minutes we were at that stage where there is no tomorrow and we’ve thrown the kitchen sink at it,” Sadler admitted.
“We’ve dominated the game and it wouldn’t have been silly if it had been 4-0 or 5-0 at half-time.
“But as I said from minute one this season, we’ve put together a squad that has got loads of attacking options – we used them all and it came out the right way.
“We’ve given ourselves a chance of the play-offs and when you start in August you want to be in with a swinging chance at the end of the season.
“We are there, we are right in it and we have to go and attack like we did tonight.”
Johnson, last season’s top scorer, has had to make do with limited minutes this season but came off the bench to score the vital goal – his first since New Year’s Day.
“We know Danny is an incredible finisher and you don’t lose that touch and ability to finish,” Sadler added. “Give him a chance and he’s clinical and he was tonight.”
Swindon, meanwhile, suffered a 12th away league defeat this season and have the worst record on the road in League Two but boss Gavin Gunning was proud of his 19th-placed side’s efforts.
He said: “The first 18, 19 minutes they were the better side but after that we’ve totally dominated and we get done by a long ball at the end.
“It’s frustrating but I’m really happy with how the boys performed.
“We need to be better physically, we concede too many goals from set-plays, we need to be braver and go and win the ball.
“It’s a mindset – when their guy is five or six inches taller than you, you’ve got to do your best, get underneath him. It’s the little details, don’t switch off.
“We are disappointed with the result and everyone is low but the performance was fantastic.
“That was a better performance than the last two. Walsall are trying to get in the play-offs but we were all over them, they couldn’t get out, they were pinned in and their fans were going mental.”
PFA launches fitness programme to help ex-players manage move into retirement
Recently-retired players who could be at risk of feeling “in limbo” at the end of their careers are being offered the chance to join a new union-funded fitness network.
The RECONNECT initiative has been launched by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) to help ex-pros manage the physical and mental transition away from playing full-time.
Leicester’s 2016 Premier League title-winning captain Wes Morgan took part in the initial session at Loughborough University last month alongside former England striker Ellen White and ex-Leeds forward Jermaine Beckford, among others.
“A lot of players that I speak to who have recently retired struggle with finding what to do next,” Morgan said.
“The routine they are so used to gets taken away at retirement and they can feel slightly left in limbo.
“The benefit of the RECONNECT sessions is that they’re structured, which helps massively. The physical side is all taken care of and so former players get the opportunity to catch up with people they’ve not seen in a while and maybe have played with in the past.”
The network is part of a wider PFA effort to help its members succeed both during and after their playing careers.
Sessions will begin from early May, to be hosted at Leeds Beckett, Hull and Liverpool John Moores universities, with 17 higher education locations across England and Wales provisionally set to be used in the programme.
These sessions will consist of two-hour gym classes being delivered by performance coaches and there will also be access to sport and recovery therapies like massage and yoga. Sessions will be bookable via the PFA website.
White, who was a key part of the Lionesses squad which won the European title in 2022, said: “I think it’s a great project and something that could help a lot of players who are just coming out of the game.
“When you’re used to training every day and being around team-mates it can be a shock to the system when that suddenly stops.
“I think for a lot of people there is a big link between how they feel physically and how they feel more generally in terms of their well-being.
“Having something to help keep you in that routine and connect you to other former players can only be a good thing.”
PFA chief executive Maheta Molango added: “The physical impact of moving away from full-time football is often overlooked, but it can have big knock-on effects at what is often a really challenging time for players.
“Players spend years in structured training environments. Because it’s your job you can often take it for granted, but when you retire, you are suddenly left to look after your own fitness and exercise for the first time.
“The PFA’s RECONNECT network will give members who have recently retired a structured fitness resource that can help them build and maintain new exercise habits during this stage of their life and career.
“It’s an opportunity for former players to connect with each other in a social environment and to speak to the PFA to take advantage of the many services and opportunities that we provide.”
Boreham Wood earn vital point in survival fight with Rochdale stalemate
Boreham Wood nudged closer to National League safety after settling for a goalless draw at mid-table Rochdale.
The visitors headed into the game on the back of two straight wins that had taken them to the brink of safety and knew victory would lift them out of the bottom four.
Rochdale had the better of the first-half chances with D’Mani Mellor twice coming close, while Ryan East rattled the crossbar on the half-hour mark.
Boreham Wood grew into the game and had their best chance midway through the second half when Lee Ndlovu just failed to convert after home goalkeeper Jacob Chapman spilled the ball in the box.
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