Nottingham Forest ready to cut Zinchenko loan short, but no break clause in Arsenal deal

Nottingham Forest are reportedly looking to terminate Oleksandr Zinchenko’s loan from Arsenal ahead of schedule, yet the absence of a break clause in the agreement means the club will have to negotiate a solution if they want the Ukrainian defender to leave before the end of the season.

Reports in England suggest Nottingham Forest are prepared to end Oleksandr Zinchenko’s loan spell early after the Arsenal defender failed to secure a regular starting role at the City Ground. According to BBC reporter Sami Mokbel, Forest are “open to cutting” the 29-year-old’s loan deal short, but the agreement contains no formal mechanism for early termination, leaving the onus on Forest to find a way out of the current arrangement.

Zinchenko joined Forest from Arsenal on transfer deadline day in the summer of 2025 and has since made around ten appearances in all competitions without scoring, a modest return for a player whose Transfermarkt valuation is still estimated at roughly €15m. With Arsenal’s first-team squad already considered full, the Gunners are not actively planning for his return mid-season, which further complicates any attempt to bring the loan to an early close.

The loan is currently scheduled to run until the end of the 2025/26 campaign, when Zinchenko’s Arsenal contract is also due to expire. Unless Forest can reach a negotiated settlement with Arsenal or find a third-club solution before the transfer window closes, the Ukrainian international may be forced to see out the season in a limited role – underlining how the lack of a break clause can restrict flexibility for both player and club once a loan move is in place.