Thierry Henry has already told Mikel Arteta exactly why Arsenal must complete Warren Zaire-Emery transfer

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Arsenal have enquired about the possible signing of Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery.

The Gunners are looking to bolster their midfield department this summer, with Thomas Partey now expected to leave North London and Jorginho already departing for Flamengo.

Martin Zubimendi is set to sign from Real Sociedad, but even with the addition of the Spaniard, Mikel Arteta’s squad would be one short in the middle of the park.

Lucien Agoume has been linked with a switch to the Emirates, although Andrea Berta may look to add a more established talent.

Zaire-Emery would certainly be a statement signing, given his reputation in European football as one of the most exciting young midfielders on the continent.

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Thierry Henry has praised Arsenal target Warren Zaire-Emery in the past

Arsenal Insider has revealed that PSG aren’t willing to sell Zaire-Emery despite serious interest from Arsenal and elsewhere.

That said, if the 19-year-old continues to be behind the likes of Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha and Joao Neves in the pecking order, a move at some point down the line is certainly possible.

The young Frenchman would be the perfect player to take over from any of Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, all of whom are 26 and will likely need replacing in a few years.

The starlet already has the approval of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, who waxed lyrical about the teenager back in October 2023, on two separate occasions.

“It’s truly astonishing what he can do at the moment,” the former striker told L’Equipe.

“We can talk about his strength and his physique, but his vision… understanding the game, how he positions himself, the desire he has.

“With the captain’s armband, I wanted to know what he has in his stomach. He showed me in two matches that he is an exceptional player.”

Coaching Zaire-Emery for the France under-21s, Henry then heaped more praise on the player later in that same month on CBS sports.

“The way Warren Zaire-Emery is playing, it is just normal to run the show (for a) 17-year-old. He was the only one who held his own at St James’ Park.

“He has been magnificent at the moment. Sky is the limit. I have never seen a player that young being so mature. This guy has no limit, for me.”

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How Warren Zaire-Emery compares to Martin Zubimendi

Zubimendi will arrive at Arsenal in the coming weeks and is likely to be a key player in the Gunners’ midfield for years to come.

While Zaire-Emery is often deployed as more of an eight, with Zubimendi very much a six, the Frenchman would likely come to Arsenal looking to take the San Sebastian native’s place.

Coincidentally, while Zaire-Emery tends to have a more free role in PSG’s midfield than Zubimendi has done at Sociedad, the two players profile very similarly statistically.

Both progressing the ball at a relatively impressive rate through their passing, both players are also very astute defensively, using their intelligence to position themselves to make defensive actions frequently.

However, Zaire-Emery is much more secure in possession and a more aggressive ball carrier, although these data points may be reflective of the systems in which they operate.

The PSG man would certainly be an effective foil for Zubimendi, should the Gunners revisit their interest further down the line.