Imagine him & Merino: Arsenal targeting one of the “best CMs in the world”

The last few months have been unusual and a little unfortunate for Arsenal.

The North Londoners didn’t go all out in the summer transfer window like many thought they would, instead adding Neto, Riccardo Calafiori, Raheem Sterling and Mikel Merino to their ranks, and the football on the pitch hasn’t been up to their usual standards either, which has seen them fall nine points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Mikel Arteta’s side have been more porous at the back and less cutting in attack than they were last year, and while Calafiori has looked good in the moments he has played, Sterling and Merino have been more than a little rusty.

Fortunately, recent reports have now linked the club with another star midfielder who’d add more quality to the Gunners’ squad and help the former Real Sociedad ace get back to his best from last year.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from the Independent’s Chief Football Writer, Miguel Delaney, Arsenal have maintained their interest in Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi.

Delaney has revealed that Arteta wants to add another six to his team and that the club view the Spanish international, who still has a €60m – £50m – release clause in his contract, as an ideal candidate.

Moreover, while the 25-year-old turned down the chance to join Liverpool in the summer following pleas from La Real not to follow the swathe of other players that left the Basque outfit, the report claims he was promised that should a suitable offer come next summer, he’d be allowed to depart.

It could prove a complicated and expensive transfer to get over the line, but given Zubimendi’s ability, it is worth pursuing, especially as he could help Merino get back to his best.

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Why Zubimendi would help Merino

Okay, so let’s get straight to the point with this one, as it’s relatively straightforward.

The primary reason that signing Zubimendi would help Merino get back to his best is that his best performances came in a Sociedad shirt while he was playing alongside the 25-year-old at the base of midfield.

For example, according to FBref, which compared players in similar positions across La Liga last season, the Gunners’ newest recruit ranked in the top 1% of midfielders for aerial duels won, the top 11% for clearances, the top 12% for tackles, the top 15% for non-penalty goals and progressive passes all per 90.

Moreover, he racked up a tally of eight goals and five assists in 45 appearances across all competitions and, according to Squawka, was the only player to win over 300 duels across Europe’s top seven leagues, demonstrating that his dominance was not limited to just Spain.

The 28-year-old flourished like this as number eight alongside his younger teammate in the six role, whom Spain manager Luis de la Fuente dubbed the “best CM in the world.”

While that might be a tad hyperbolic, his underlying numbers stack up brilliantly against the North Londoners’ current options in his role, Declan Rice and Thomas Partey.

For example, according to FBref, the San Sebastián-born star isn’t blown away in any metric and comes out ahead in more than he doesn’t, including actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes, shots on target, passes into the final third, live passes, blocks, successful take-ons, carries and aerial duels won, all per 90.

Ultimately, while it wouldn’t be cheap, Arsenal should look to sign Zubimendi in 2025, as he’s already shown an ability to work with and get the most out of Merino in the past, and when compared to the Gunners current midfield options, he looks every bit as talented, if not more so in certain metrics.

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