Arsenal face fresh competition from Bayern Munich for Spanish midfield maestro Martin Zubimendi, Fabrizio Romano reports.
The 25-year-old is a long-term target for the Gunners, who are looking to reinforce their midfield this summer, but they need to move fast to secure his services.
Barcelona have previously been touted as a potential landing spot for Zubimendi, who is in high demand ahead of the summer transfer window.
However, interest from the La Liga champions has waned as they grapple with a precarious financial situation, opening the door for Arsenal to swoop in for Zubimendi.
Bayern were planning to make their move for Zubimendi after appointing Xabi Alonso as a successor to Thomas Tuchel.
But Alonso has expressed his desire to continue at Bayer Leverkusen next season, with Die Werkself on the cusp of demolishing Bayern’s decade-long strong hold on the Bundesliga.
Alonso’s decision to remain at BayArena has also thrown a wrench into Bayern’s plans to land Zubimendi. While they still admire the midfielder, finding Tuchel’s successor remains the priority on their agenda.
With Bayern pre-occupied with their next managerial appointment, Arsenal must move swiftly to firmly establish themselves as frontrunners to secure Zubimendi’s services.
The midfielder, who has won five caps for the Spanish national team, has been a regular fixture in the Real Sociedad team this season, making 42 appearances across all competitions.
Zubimendi has been the fulcrum of Imanol Alguacil’s side chasing a place in Europe, contributing four goals and an assist. He has also created two big chances, winning 52% of his ground battles and 61% of his aerial duels.
Zubimendi could be a like-for-like replacement for Thomas Partey and Jorginho, with both players linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium this summer.
Jorginho could leave the club when his contract runs out at the end of the season, while the Gunners are hoping to cash in on Partey this summer amid interest from Serie A and Saudi Arabia.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com
