Arsenal reach an agreement to sign Martin Zubimendi in a shock transfer deal

Zubimendi could be on his way to the Emirates. (Image credits - https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/)

Arsenal FC have sent shock waves throughout the world of football as the club has reportedly reached an agreement to sign Martín Zubimendi. Zubimendi, who is currently playing at the Spanish club Real Sociedad, has attracted a lot of interest, especially from the Premier League.

Zubimendi was heavily linked to Liverpool as well last summer. The 25-year-old was considered a top target by the Reds as they looked for a defensive midfielder. It was even reported that Liverpool had reached an agreement with Zubimendi and the deal was in its final stages. However, the Spanish midfielder snubbed the move eventually, stating that his loyalty to his club, Real Sociedad, was "bigger than anything."

Apart from Liverpool, reigning Premier League champions Manchester City had also shown interest in the Spanish midfielder. City, who have been struggling in the midfield this season, were reported to be targeting a move for Zubimendi in this January window itself. However, it appears that the midfield prodigy has chosen his next club in the form of Arsenal, with City left hanging out to dry.

Arsenal and Zubimendi: A good match?

Arsenal will reportedly pay an amount close to £51m to Real Sociedad for the talented midfielder, as per Sky Sports. The club will be looking to finalize the deal in the upcoming days for a move in the summer. It was reported that Zubimendi later regretted his decision of not joining Liverpool last summer as he desires to play in the Premier League. Therefore, with Arsenal knocking on the door, the Spaniard is presented with another chance to make a move to the English League.

Mikel Arteta was looking to strengthen his midfield by adding depth to his squad. When captain Martin Ødegaard got injured for two months, the Gunners went through a rough patch, which also resulted in them falling behind in the title race. Arteta did not have any proper backup for his injured captain, which caused disruptions in his game plan, leading to a dry patch in front of the goal for the Gunners. With Zubimendi’s signing, Arteta will be able to get multiple options in his midfield, ensuring the same does not happen again. Zubimendi's game awareness and technical ability make him one of the top talents in Europe when it comes to midfielders. Therefore, Arsenal and Arteta will be getting themselves an absolute gem of a player. 

How could Arsenal lineup with Zubimendi?

With Zubimendi's signing, Arteta will most likely be going for a midfield trio of Ødegaard, Rice and Zubimendi. The Spaniard’s inclusion will allow more fluidity and directness in the midfield. Zubimendi's inclusion will also allow the Gunners’ star, Declan Rice, to play in a more advanced role, with Martin Ødegaard present as the creative head in the midfield. Zubimendi’s passing ability will also be of huge benefit to the Gunners. DMs with creativity possess the ability to completely transform any team.

However, the new signing could cause their star summer signing, Mikel Merino, to fall through the ranks. Merino, 29, has only managed to make 18 appearances across all competitions this season for the Gunners. Merino’s injury problems could lead to him being preferred more as a backup by Arteta, allowing Rice to play in his box-to-box role.