Three ways Arsenal could line-up with Joshua Kimmich including potential Martin Zubimendi partnership

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Arsenal have identified Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich as a potential replacement for Jorginho.

The Gunners are set to undergo something of a midfield rebuild this summer, with Jorginho expected to join Flamengo when his contract expires.

Thomas Partey is also likely to leave when his deal is up, while Martin Zubimendi could arrive in a £51 million transfer.

However, this set of incomings and outgoings could leave Mikel Arteta’s squad light in central areas, and thus the club continue to be linked with other names.

Kimmich is available on a free transfer, and Arsenal are exploring the possibility of signing the experienced German.

With that said, here’s a look at three ways Arsenal could line up with the Champions League winner.

• READ MORE: Inside the life of Joshua Kimmich, the Arsenal transfer target who is a serial trophy winner

Joshua Kimmich could replace Thomas Partey

The most obvious way Arsenal could use Kimmich is as a natural replacement for Partey in the number six role.

The 30-year-old has similar press resistant traits to Partey, with his ability to turn away from pressure in tight spaces and progress the ball with line-breaking passes reminiscent of the Ghanaian.

In games in which Arsenal dominate the ball, Kimmich can essentially act as a deep-lying playmaker, dictating the tempo of the game from the base of the Gunners midfield.

This would allow Declan Rice to roam into forward areas, and enable Martin Odegaard to focus on influencing proceedings in the final third, rather than the Norwegian dropping deep to progress the ball.

Joshua Kimmich can play as an eight for Arsenal

While the perception of Kimmich is that he’s purely a deeper player who excels in the first phase of build-up, he’s actually extremely creative in the final third.

Managing 2.58 key passes and 0.33 expected assists per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga this season, the Bayern maestro has also created more chances than anyone else in the German top flight this term.

Exceptional at threading an eye of the needle pass, these qualities would lend themselves nicely to operating as an advanced eight, next to Odegaard.

This would allow Rice to focus on breaking up play in the six, and give Arsenal a more natural creative player in forward areas.

Joshua Kimmich can play at right-back to accomodate Martin Zubimendi

If Kimmich and Zubimendi do both arrive in North London, Arteta will want to find a system where he can accommodate both from time to time, without dropping Rice or Odegaard.

The obvious solution would be to deploy Kimmich at right-back, and Zubimendi at the base of Arsenal’s midfield.

This would allow the two diminutive playmakers to forge a partnership, with Kimmich inverting into midfield from this role to form a double pivot.

This would also free up Riccardo Calafiori to become more of a marauding left-back on the other side, and would give the Gunners ample ball progression from deeper areas.