Arsenal left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko is set to join Ajax on a permanent deal, ending earlier plans for a short-term loan move.

Initial reports on Sunday suggested Ajax and Arsenal were negotiating a six-month loan for the 29-year-old Ukrainian, whose contract in North London runs until the summer of 2026. However, negotiations have since shifted, with Ajax now looking to sign Zinchenko outright. According to Voetbal International’s Tim van Duijn, the agreed-upon loan fee will instead be applied as a transfer fee, with the possibility of a longer-term arrangement in the summer.

The move is reminiscent of former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu’s short-term “prove-it” deal at Ajax, designed to give the club and technical director Jordi Cruyff time to assess the player’s fit before committing to a long-term contract.

Zinchenko, a 75-cap Ukrainian international, spent the second half of last season on loan at Nottingham Forest but made just five Premier League appearances. He joined Arsenal from Manchester City in 2022, has featured in 150 Premier League matches, and brings previous Eredivisie experience from his 2016/17 loan spell at PSV.