For the better part of last season, if you said Arsenal were eyeing a Real Sociedad midfielder, many would think of Martin Zubimendi.
However, weeks into the summer transfer window, everything changed. Later, it emerged that the Gunners, while scouting Zubimendi, were also impressed by his teammate, Mikel Merino.
Infact Given the reports of Mikel Arteta’s phone conversation with Merino and the talk of a deal of a lifetime waiting for the Spaniard at the Emirates Stadium, it seemed Arsenal had lost interest in Zubimendi. So, is that true?
According to Ben Jacobs on Give Me Sport, Arsenal is eager to activate Zubimendi’s £51 million release clause and would have done so last winter, but the player just does not want to leave Sociedad, which is why the links to the Spaniard have cooled.
Jacobs admits, “Arsenal still like Merino’s Sociedad teammate Martin Zubimendi and the issue is not his cost. The €60m (£50m) release clause might seem high, but it didn’t put Arsenal off in January. They know Zubimendi just loves Sociedad and had Champions League (football) last season. The challenge is persuading the player to leave.”
That said, signing Zubimendi would have been ideal for maximising Declan Rice’s potential. The Spaniard is an excellent 6 with exceptional ball skills; he’s a high-volume passer, a duel winner, and an excellent deep-lying player maker. As an out-and-out #6, he provides technical security from the back.
With Zubimendi at 6, Rice would have easily continued as the box-to-box midfielder he shone as in a number of games last season. With fewer defensive duties, the Englishman proved himself quite influential in Arsenal’s attacking play.
However, we can only expect the Merino (not Zubimendi) swoop. If he’s signed, he’ll still be a terrific addition to the Arsenal engine room, but it could just mean Rice continues as a 6. Or is Arsenal still trying to persuade Zubimendi to come to the Emirates?
Daniel O
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