Arsenal and West Ham fans think they saw Oleksandr Zinchenko deliver transfer message to Declan Rice

Arsenal fans are getting excited about Oleksandr Zinchenko’s possible message to reported transfer target Declan Rice.

Gunners star Zinchenko was in action for Ukraine on Sunday, with England getting the best of his nation in a Euro 2024 qualifier at Wembley Stadium. Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka were on target for the Three Lions, ensuring Gareth Southgate’s men passed their two biggest tests in their first two games of this qualifying campaign.

Fortunately for Zinchenko, he can quickly turn focus back to the Premier League title race with Arsenal, and club football may not be far from his mind at all. The versatile defender approached England star and reported Arsenal transfer target Rice after the game, and some Gunners fans think they know what Zinchenko said to Rice after the game, attempting to lip-read the footage.

One fan claimed on Twitter: “Zinchenko said to Rice are you coming to join us??!! I saw it!”. Another added: “Did anyone else read his lips as “Join?”?? Maybe hoping Zinchenko said this to Rice.”

A West Ham fan even tweeted to say: “Nah, I swear zinchenko just said ‘join’ to Rice at full time.”

Those sorts of inside messages from players are usually delivered when two players play for the same nation, but who knows, Zinchenko just might have got a word in at full-time. Rice has resisted transfer talk up to this point, but there will be renewed speculation surrounding his future this summer, and Arsenal, should they make a move, will have an attractive proposal given their progress this season, and indeed given the step backwards West Ham have taken this term.