Arsenal are likely to reinforce their midfield department in the summer transfer window.
Thomas Partey is expected to leave the club when his contract expires, while Jorginho has agreed a move to Flamengo.
Reports suggest that Martin Zubimendi will join Arsenal from Real Sociedad for £51 million.
However, the addition of the Spaniard may not be sufficient by itself, with more needed in Mikel Arteta’s ensemble to ensure that the North Londoners have sufficient depth to challenge on multiple fronts next season.
Arsenal should sign Joshua Kimmich on a free
Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice will remain the staple figures in Arsenal’s midfield next season, but the Gunners need to add another experienced option to nurture the likes of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri.
Arteta will have lost two veteran midfielders, and Zubimendi alone can’t replace the duo.
Thus, Arsenal should be looking to sign Joshua Kimmich on a free transfer.
According to German journalist Christian Falk, Bayern Munich have withdrawn their contract offer for Kimmich, meaning the deep-lying playmaker will leave the Bundesliga giants for nothing when his current deal expires in the summer.
It’s understood that Bayern have grown frustrated by Kimmich’s hesitance regarding the fresh deal that has been on the table for some time, and are ready to move on from the midfield metronome.
The 30-year-old would be the perfect Partey replacement if Arsenal can secure his services on a two or three-year deal.
Like the Ghanaian, Kimmich can be deployed as a right-back or in midfield, with both players boasting similar traits.
Excellent on the ball, press-resistant and effective at stopping opposition transitions, Kimmich has the perfect balance of attributes to thrive as a number six in Arteta’s system.
There’ll no doubt be plenty of suitors for the imminent free agent, but Arsenal have the allure of Premier League and Champions League football, and the ability to pay big wages.
The club’s hierarchy should be looking to initiate a deal in the next few days, with Kimmich free to talk to non-German clubs.
Joshua Kimmich’s statistics vs Thomas Partey’s statistics
Statistically, Kimmich profiles as a much more creative player than Partey, while possessing better passing numbers than his Arsenal counterpart.
The German offers elite ball progression production, while also creating 2.58 chances per 90 minutes.
| Statistical Comparison 2024/25 (League only) | ||
| Stat | Partey | Kimmich |
| Appearances | 26 | 23 |
| Goals | 3 | 1 |
| Assists | 2 | 6 |
| Key Passes per 90 | 0.67 | 2.58 |
| Progressive Passes per 90 | 6.22 | 10.8 |
| Pass Accuracy | 87.7% | 90.1% |
| Tackles per 90 | 3.16 | 1.69 |
| Interceptions per 90 | 1.2 | 0.71 |
Meanwhile, Partey puts up better defensive numbers, although this could be a symptom of playing in a role that demands breaking up play a lot in Arteta’s system.
Not only would the deal be cheap, but it’s clear from the data that Kimmich is an upgrade on Partey in almost every aspect of the game.
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