Arsenal to make a swoop to sign £51m star this summer, Arteta is a ‘huge admirer’ - report

Arsenal are reportedly considering signing Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi this summer, as per Football Insider.

After ranking through La Real’s youth system, the 25-year-old has established himself as a key player in Imanol Alguacil’s starting eleven in recent times.

Having showcased his qualities in La Liga, the midfielder has secured his place in the Spanish national team. However, due to the presence of Rodri, Zubimendi has found it difficult to play regularly on the international stage.

Now, according to the report by Football Insider, Arsenal are planning to sign a new midfielder to deploy alongside Declan Rice as they are willing to cash-in on Thomas Partey – who is set to enter the final year of his current contract.

The report further claims that Mikel Arteta is a ‘huge admirer’ of Zubimendi so Arsenal are ‘weighing up’ a swoop to sign him after identifying him as the priority target.

Zubimendi to Arsenal

It has been suggested that Zubimendi has a £51m release clause included in his current contract so the North London club will have to splash a big fee to sign him.

However, Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Bruno Guimaraes and Douglas Luiz as well but either of them is set to cost around £100m. Therefore, Zubimendi would be a more affordable option.

Having narrowly missed out on winning the league title last term, Arsenal are planning to strengthen the squad this summer to continue performing at their best next season. Arteta is reportedly keen on signing a new centre-forward but it seems purchasing a new midfielder is also on his to-do list.

The Real Sociedad star is a deep-lying playmaker but can also play in the box-to-box role. He is technically sound, can play out under pressure and is also efficient in defensive contributions.

So, he possesses the necessary attributes to play in Arteta’s system. The Spaniard has showcased his abilities in La Liga over the last few years and the North Londoners will be hoping that he will be able to replicate the same performance in the Premier League should he moves to the Emirates Stadium this summer.

However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the Gunners will eventually manage to secure his signature in the upcoming transfer window to bolster their midfield.