Journalist Ben Jacobs has suggested that there is a realistic possibility that Arsenal manage to sign one midfielder in the summer transfer window, but they face a battle to convince him to make the move to the Emirates.
Arsenal are looking for the signings which are going to take them across the line in the Premier League title race after two near misses, with the middle of the park seen as one of the areas which may require attention.
Thomas Partey could leave Arsenal this summer, but the beauty of having Declan Rice in the side is that Mikel Arteta has the option to target a number of midfielders and make it work alongside the versatile Englishman.
And it seems that Arsenal remain admirers of Martin Zubimendi heading into this window.
Arsenal signing Martin Zubimendi remains a realistic possibility
Zubimendi has previously rejected the chance to join Arsenal, with Real Sociedad, at the time, battling for a place in the Champions League in La Liga. Sociedad finished sixth this past season, so they may perhaps view this as a better time to make their move.
There had been claims that Arsenal had cooled their interest in the £50.5 million-rated Zubimendi, but speaking to Caught Offside, journalist Ben Jacobs suggested that the door seems to remain open.
“Martin Zubimendi is still a realistic possibility, though the challenge there is persuading him to leave Real Sociedad,” he said.
“He’s very happy there and that’s why he stayed at the club in January, though that was also with Champions League football to look forward to in the second half of the season, and now it would be all about persuading the player to leave a club that he’s really settled at.”
Gunners dealt early blow in transfer window
It would be a boost if Arsenal could manage to convince Zubimendi to move to the Emirates in this window, with the Spaniard approaching his peak – as so many within the Arsenal squad are.
The Gunners have been dealt an early blow in this window, with the news that Benjamin Sesko is planning to stay at RB Leipzig after being considered Arsenal’s top striker target this summer.
Arsenal will have a number of key targets in mind, so will have other names on their list to turn to. However, Arteta’s men have elevated themselves into a position where only a handful of names could significantly improve them.
They are arguably in a position where they could make a strong case that there is not one single position that simply has to be strengthened this summer. So perhaps missing out on Sesko may leave them even more determined to sign someone like Zubimendi.