Arsenal transfer news: William Saliba makes £60m switch admission as exit decision nears

Arsenal star William Saliba has made a telling admission regarding a £60million transfer after the Gunners' Carabao Cup semi-final first leg victory over Chelsea

Arsenal were victorious in their Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg clash against London rivals Chelsea. And star defender William Saliba made a telling post-match transfer confession.

Mikel Arteta's side came out as the winners after a topsy-turvy cup tie at Stamford Bridge. It was thanks to strikes from Ben White, Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi that Arsenal head into the second leg with a one-goal advantage.

After the match, Saliba was asked about the importance of Zubimendi and his response regarding the £60million summer recruit was telling. Mirror Football brings you the latest transfer news from the Emirates.

William Saliba's transfer disclosure

Zubimendi's goal proved to be the difference maker on the night during the clash with Chelsea. The Spanish midfielder cost the Gunners £60m when he arrived from Real Sociedad in July 2025, having previously been linked with Liverpool.

Saliba was asked about his relatively new team-mate after the cup win and admitted he is a wonderful player and his transfer could help them over the line to win major titles.

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"We're happy to win. We know that it is never easy to come here and win," Saliba told CBS Sports. "He [Zubimendi] is a very good player.

"He's never under pressure. You can give him the ball and he can have someone on his back and he never has the pressure. He's so good for us with and without the ball and today he showed that he can score as well.

"He's scored too many goals this season, to be honest, for a number six! So it's good to have him and I'm sure that he will help us a lot to win some titles."

Oleksandr Zinchenko decision nears

Yet one of Saliba's other peers has not been enjoying his time on the pitch as of late. Oleksandr Zinchenko signed for Arsenal in July 2022 for an initial £30m but in the years to follow was supplanted at left-back.

The likes of Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly ensured the Ukrainian found very few minutes under Arteta and in the summer of 2025 he departed on loan.

Zinchenko joined Nottingham Forest for this season, but has found playing time difficult to come by with the club chopping and changing managers. He doesn't seem to be favoured by Sean Dyche and has started just four Premier League games this season.

In light of his backseat role, BBC Sport reports that Forest are considering cutting Zinchenko's loan deal short this month. It is understood that there is no mechanism in the agreement that would allow it to be ended early.

Arsenal's full squad could also complicate matters and it is thought a decision will be made soon regarding the defender's future in Nottingham.

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