Arsenal are striking a deal to sign Society midfielder Martin Zubimenddi in the summer, Sky Sports News understands, but the Gunners are bidding for a new striker this month.
Zubimendi has an estimated £51m release clause and Arsenal are already making plans for the summer with Thomas Partey and Jorginho entering the final six months of their contracts.
It is believed that Arsenal were looking to reach an agreement within this window, but it turns out that a compromise was reached for Zubimenddi to remain at Sociedad for the rest of the season.
The 25-year-old is under contract at La Real until the summer of 2027. Liverpool agreed a deal to sign Zubimendi last summer – only for the player to change his mind and stay in Spain.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are running hard scenes to point to a striker in this window of movement.
The north London club have been exploring both long-term targets and short-term options even before Gabriel Jesus’ injury.
Arsenal will be reasonable, especially with long -term objectives, since he knows that ascent clubs will feel that they can score more.
The Gunners are one of the clubs keeping an eye on PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani this month, according to Sky in Italy.
PSG are willing to let the 26-year-old leave but want a permanent sale or loan with an obligation to buy.
Sky Sports News understands that Tottenham is still interested in the International of France, while Manchester United has continued through its initial demands.
Sky in Italy reports that Juventus, AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund are the other clubs in contention. Kolo Muani, excluded from PSG because coach Luis Enrique prefers to play with a new fake.
Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz:
The moment of the imminent movement of Arsenal by Zubimendi is very interesting. The majority of gunners enthusiasts are crying out for a new striker, but it is rather a defensive midfielder who will arrive at the end of this year and will emerge from the Club of Northern London.
Looking at the smaller and wider context of this pursuit, Arsenal moving for Zubimendi is no surprise.
In the smallest context, Spanish is one of the most sought -after defensive fields in Europe, as demonstrated by Liverpool’s public interest in him last summer.
“It’s not that simple to locate the players who can help us or even the team. Zubimenddi was one of them, to be fair, but he made the decision not to come,” Liverpool boss Arne Slot said in August. The concept that Liverpool saw the 25-year-old as an improvement on their already correct squad speaks volumes.
The symptoms were also there at the beginning of last summer. The functionality of the second half of Zubimendi in the Eurocopa 2024 Ultimate Opseeding to England, in which Spain gave a good advance after losing the eventual winner of Ballon d’Or Rodri to a half -weather injury, confirms its elite state.
The persecution of Zubimendi has a broader context and perhaps Arsenal has been planning this resolution for some time. During the 2019–20 season, Zubimendi was part of a Sociedad team that also featured current Gunners players Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino in midfield.
Also worth noting is La Real’s starting striker this season, Newcastle forward Alexander Isak, who the Gunners have been linked with.
Arsenal are, ultimately, trying to get their own Rodri. With doubts over Declan Rice’s best midfield position at No 6 or No 8 – plus uncertainty over the contracts of ageing midfielders Jorginho and Thomas Partey – it is an area Arsenal need to strengthen.
Zubimendi turns out to be the best ending given his career. He was trained at the young amateur club Antiguoko in the Basque Country, which also marked the beginning of the careers of Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso.
Zubimendi played under Alonso in the Real Sociedad B team, and is now about to work with another Antiguoko alumni in Arteta.
The Arsenal wants reinforcements in the front of striker Kai Hvertz after Gabriel Jesus underwent an alleged long -term injury, but who can sign?
Read the Sky Sports list for Arsenal here.
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