Arsenal have been stitched up by their rivals and Mikel Arteta may be about to admit defeat

The double blow that took Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from the Etihad to the Emirates in 2022 saw Arsenal praised and Manchester City questioned.

That season, the Gunners would go on to lead City narrowly to the Premier League title, finishing five points behind Pep Guardiola's side despite being top of the table for the majority of the campaign.

Jesus has scored 11 league goals in 2022/23 and almost helped defeat his former employers, while Zinchenko was also a regular in the team. Mikel Arteta must have been convinced that Arsenal's £77m investment would prove to be a smart deal in the years to come.

But it was all good for the duo who swapped Manchester for north London. Even Jesus' best season for Arsenal wasn't as prolific as his worst season at City, and although he found himself among the goals over the festive period, a suspected ACL tear saw him banned from the bench. affects for the foreseeable future.

Jesus was relegated down the Arsenal pecking order when they signed Kai Havertz in the summer of 2023. And he's set to move back down, if not this month, then at the end of the season, rumor has it that the Gunners are considering another new one. striker.

Zinchenko's fall was equally dramatic. Arsenal have signed a host of rival left-backs since spending £32million on the Ukrainian, who has played just 237 minutes in the Premier League this season.

And now Arteta is apparently ready to admit defeat. According to Sky Germany, Borussia Dortmund have held concrete discussions with Arsenal over acquiring Zinchenko in an initial loan deal this month.

The deal reportedly includes an option to buy clause worth £16.8million – just over half the amount City took when they flogged it against their rivals ago two and a half years. The Gunners are said to be ready to do business, with Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori both capable of replacing the left side of the defence.

Jesus will appear to be around for a while longer, but even if he recovers in time for the summer window, Arsenal could still struggle to recoup the £45m it took to sign him, given he will only have two years left on his contract and has not reached double figures in either of his last two seasons.

Although it seemed like a major blow at the time, the Gunners got the short end of the stick and they are prepared to pay the price.