Martin Zubimendi has now set his stance on a transfer away from Real Sociedad amid Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta speaking to the midfielder on a switch to Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners coach is keen to further reinforce his engine room after their club-record move for Declan Rice last summer. Arteta believes Arsenal need another body in the centre having seen Thomas Partey endure yet another injury-plagued campaign in north London this term.
Arteta has only been able to field Partey for 251 minutes over four Premier League games so far this season. So, AS notes that the tactician considers Zubimendi as Arsenal’s top midfield transfer target. Arteta’s interest in the 24-year-old is also leading Barcelona to follow Partey.
Arteta is speaking with Zubimendi about a transfer to Arsenal
Bild journalist Christian Falk even suggests that Arteta is holding direct talks with Zubimendi about a transfer to Arsenal. The Gunners’ interest is evening making Bayern Munich ‘afraid’. Der FCB felt they would lead any race for his transfer, having marked him as their top target.
Bayern Munich are keen to convince Zubimendi about a transfer from Real Sociedad as he is available for €60m (£51m) thanks to a release clause. The Bundesliga giants even favour his transfer over revisiting their interest in Fulham enforcer Joao Palhinha but now fear Arsenal.
Zubimendi does not want to leave Real Sociedad… yet
But while Arsenal and Bayern Munich are interested in his transfer, Fabrizio Romano reports now that Zubimendi is not planning to leave Real Sociedad in the winter sales. However, the four-cap Spain international might consider a switch to England or Germany in the summer.
Zubimendi does not want to leave San Sabastian in mid-season with the Txuri-Urdin set for a return to the Champions League last 16. Real Sociedad had not made it past the group stage of UEFA’s elite tournament since 2003/04. They had also not been in the UCL since 2013/14.
A date with Paris Saint-Germain now awaits the Anoeta Stadium side, while Arsenal meet FC Porto in the last 16. So, Romano reports that Zubimendi – who Barcelona have also admired for years – wants to stay at Real Sociedad, leaving Arsenal to fight Bayern for a summer deal.
Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez even went public with his appreciation of the Real Sociedad product last year. Zubimendi has spent his entire career at the Anoeta Stadium after joining the Txuri-Urdin as a youth prospect. He has so far amassed 173 first-team appearances, too.
“I consider Zubimendi as an extraordinary pivot – top player,” Xavi exclaimed, via quotes by Romano, last May. “He understands the game very well, he dominates with and without the ball. Zubimendi plays [the] kind of football that we like here at Barca. It’s our style.”
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