Arsenal loanee Kieran Tierney has now given his verdict on Martin Zubimendi.
Kieran Tierney is currently plying his trade on loan at Real Sociedad, where he is a teammate of rumoured Arsenal transfer target Martin Zubimendi.
Tierney has recently revealed that he does not know what his future holds, in terms of making a return to the Emirates Stadium, where he is no longer an ideal tactical fit in Mikel Arteta’s side. However, one of his current teammates in La Liga, Zubimendi, may well be set to make his own move to north London in the coming summer transfer window.
Arsenal sporting director Edu is thought to be willing to trigger Zubimendi’s £52 million release clause, as the 25-year-old has been included on the Gunners’ shortlist of candidates to replace Thomas Partey.
With the injury-prone Ghanaian looking likely to be moved on this summer, it is vital that Arsenal source an adequate replacement who can come in and complement Declan Rice in a new-look midfield department.
Kieran Tierney shares Martin Zubimendi verdict
Tierney certainly feels that the Spanish ace has what it takes to shine for Arsenal. In a recent interview with The Guardian, the Scottish left-back offered an assessment of some of his Real Sociedad teammates and said, “you have world-class players like [Martín] Zubimendi, [Mikel] Merino, Brais [Méndez]. It’s not that people don’t think they’re good; it’s just that if you’re only watching the Premier League every week, it’s hard to know. They’re world class, and for so many to come from the academy is incredible.”
Many Arsenal fans will not have seen a great deal of Zubimendi in action. The 4-cap Spain international is exceptionally technically gifted, and is comfortable receiving possession of the ball in tight, congested spaces, whilst under pressure from opposition players. He reads the game well, boasts an impressive range of passing, and is capable of driving his team up the pitch by making runs from deep with the ball at his feet. It is unsurprising that Zubimendi has been favourably compared with Barcelona legend Sergio Busquets.
Zubimendi is not the only player Arsenal currently have under consideration to come in and replace Partey. Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz has also been dubbed a “dream” target for Arteta. However, the Real Sociedad man would certainly be an exciting addition to the Gunners’ roster.
Tierney’s judgement of the player also offers plenty of encouragement that the midfielder would be able to thrive in the Premier League, as the former Celtic man certainly knows all about what it takes to shine at that level.
It will fascinating to see if Arsenal make a concerted effort to sign Zubimendi, or if they instead opt to prioritise an alternative target.
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