A round-up of the latest Arsenal news as David Seaman slams a ‘rule bender’ and boss Mikel Arteta is backed to target a £51.5m transfer for a ‘younger’ version of Jorginho.
Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard nominated for the Premier League’s Player of the Season award
Arsenal midfielders Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard are among the eight nominees for the 2023/24 Premier League Player of the Season award. They now have a chance to be the first Gunners player to receive the award since Thierry Henry swept his second gong in 2005/06.
Rice has merited his nomination after a sensational first season at Emirates Stadium after his transfer from West Ham United. The 25-year-old has taken Arsenal’s engine room to another level beside captain Odegaard as Mikel Arteta bids to win the club’s first title since 2003/04.
Rice has been an ever-present part of Arteta’s side and has more than justified a club-record fee. He has enjoyed the England international’s most prolific season in front of the goal as a box-to-box player. Odegaard has also led by example as the chance-creating machine in N5.
Odegaard leads the way as a pillar of Arsenal’s pressing game, as well. He and Rice will rival Phil Foden and Erling Haaland of Manchester City, Alexander Isak of Newcastle United, Cole Palmer of Chelsea, Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool and Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa for the award.
Read more about the 2023/24 Premier League Player of the Season nominations, here.
Adrian Clarke tips Arsenal target Martin Zubimendi as a ‘younger’ Jorginho
Adrian Clarke has backed Arsenal to target the transfer of Martin Zubimendi this summer as the Real Sociedad midfielder is a ‘younger’ Jorginho. The former Gunners midfielder feels it would suit Mikel Arteta to target the 25-year-old as he would provide the complete package.
Arteta has identified Zubimendi as a player he would like Arsenal to target when the transfer window opens. AS has reported that the Gunners boss made his Spanish compatriot his No1 option to improve his midfield. TuttoJuve also reports Arsenal are the favourites to sign him.
Arsenal head interest from Bayern Munich and Juventus as the Bundesliga and Serie A sides will not meet Real Sociedad’s €60m (£51.5m) price tag. But Clarke would have no issue with Arteta pushing through a deal in that price range to bring Zubimendi to the Premier League.
Clarke told the Handbrake Off podcast: “I think we can spend £50m+ on a central midfielder this summer, whether that’s [for] someone in the mould of Douglas Luiz [and] Zubimendi of Real Sociedad has also been linked, someone like that.
“Zubimendi, I think, would be that younger version of Jorginho – someone who can win it back, gives it, keeps things ticking over [and] gets around the pitch superbly. I think that’s the sort of player we need.”
Read more about what Clarke has had to say about Arsenal’s interest in Zubimendi, here.
David Seaman urges Bukayo Saka to ‘pack in’ his ‘rule-bending’ at Arsenal
Arsenal hero David Seaman has told Bukayo Saka to ‘pack in’ his ‘rule-bending’ after taking issue with his play-acting against AFC Bournemouth. The Gunners great found the manner in which Saka reacted to a foul by Ryan Christie during last Saturday’s 3-0 win very frustrating.
Christie caught Saka on the shin in the 11th minute at Emirates Stadium and left the forward with a gash on his left leg. Referee David Coote elected against giving the midfielder a yellow card for the tackle. Saka was also able to continue but required treatment for the challenge.
The tackle was similar to the one which saw Fabio Vieira get a red card against Burnley back in November. But Seaman believes Coote was right to not show Christie a card as Saka made more of the challenge than was justifiable, despite feeling it was a red card on first viewing.
“He needs to pack in that waving all the time because that’s normally used as a signal to the physio bench when you are in trouble,” the Arsenal legend said on his Seaman Says podcast. “It’s not just Saka, I’ve seen a lot of other players doing it, as well, now.
“That was always the signal that you’re really hurt so that they can get ready really quickly to get on as soon as the ref signals to them.
“But players are doing it now, they’re doing that signal and then they’re getting up and they’re not even receiving treatment. They will try all sorts, trust me, they’re rule benders!’”
Read more about what Seaman has had to say about Arsenal winger Saka, here.