It is a make-or-break summer transfer window for Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta, as he desperately needs players to elevate the roster so that they can challenge for the Premier League crown next season.
Arteta's reign at Emirates has shown a lot of promise with very little end product. He has elevated Arsenal's gameplay, which was evident when they defeated Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals. But the team management are desperate for silverware, something that the club last won five years ago.
Therefore, they are keen to add players in crucial areas, and one such player from the 2023/24 season was Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi. As per reports via David Ornstein, Arsenal are close to wrapping up the deal despite Real Madrid's interest in the midfielder.
As per the reports, Arsenal will pay a total of around €65m (£55m) for the 26-year-old. The Gunners are paying more than his release clause, which is reportedly in the region of which is in the region of €60m (£51m).
But the only reason the North London outfit are paying higher than his release clause is because they struck an agreement with Sociedad allowing them to pay the whole sum in small instalments rather than paying the entirety in one go.
Ornstein has ruled out interest from Real Madrid to be a driving factor in Arsenal closing the deal for the Spaniard, as it was reported a few days ago. But overall, if the deal goes through, it will be a big acquisition for the Gunners in midfield.
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What would Zubimendi bring to Arsenal?
Zubimendi is one of the most technical players in his position in world football. He will bring a sense of calmness and composure to Arsenal's midfield. His combative nature will also allow Declan Rice to play with much more freedom.
As per WhoScored, across the last three La Liga seasons, Zubimendi has possession in the midfield third at least 36 times more than any other player (329).
Since 2019/20, Zubimendi has the second-best success rate of any midfield in La Liga to contest 250+ aerial duels (65.85%) as per Squawka. To put the matter into perspective, he has contested 432 aerial duels and won 284 of them in the middle.
The Spaniard is a type of midfielder who likes to dictate the tempo of the game and breaks up play whenever the situation arises. He has a dominant presence in the air and can recycle possession with aplomb. He will elevate the level of Arsenal's midfield and also allow freedom to the other players playing around him.
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