'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko has said that he would not have left Manchester City for another Premier League club had it not been to play under Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners signed Zinchenko from the Cityzens for around f £35 million last summer. They have already got their money's worth, as the Ukraine international has established himself as a key player in the team.
Zinchenko has been pivotal to Arsenal's Premier League title quest this term, excelling in his inverted full-back role. He has also bagged a goal and two assists in 22 top-flight games.
Manchester City's decision to sell the versatile left-back could come back to haunt them, as they risk losing their title to the Gunners. They're eight points behind Arteta's side in the race but have a game in hand.
Trending
Zinchenko, meanwhile, has opened up on why he swapped the Cityzens for Arsenal last summer. He explained that the desire to work with Arteta, who served as Pep Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City, was the only reason he joined another English club.
"The impact he (Arteta) had and has right now for me is a lot," Zinchenko told Sky Sports (via GOAL). "I said many times one day if I am going to leave City and stay in the Premier League it will be (for) only one manager, which is him.
"The way he sees football, his vision, his character, he is a winner. That is what I like the most from people. Obviously he knew me as a player and a person when he called me, I had a couple of conversations before I joined Arsenal."
Zinchenko continued:
"He told me what he wants to see from me, the club's vision, the club's plan and strategy. I liked everything of that and that is why I came."
Arteta was Guardiola's assistant at City for three years before taking the reins at the Emirates in 2019.
Arsenal face Manchester City in potential title decider
Arsenal boast an eight-point lead over Manchester City with eight games left. However, it's too early to celebrate, as the Gunners have a set of difficult games coming up this month.
The north London giants face Liverpool at Anfield in the league on Sunday (April 9). They then go up against relegation-battlers West Ham United and Southampton on consecutive weekends.
Arteta's side will lock horns with Manchester City at the Etihad in what could be the title decider on April 26. They face Chelsea at home in their final game of the month.
