Indeed, they have secured the deal! On January 15th, Beijing time, multiple media outlets confirmed that Arsenal has substantially completed the transfer of Zubimendi.
Securing a summer transfer in the winter window, Arsenal is indeed ahead of the game.
There will be significant changes in the midfield next summer.
Jorginho and Thomas' contracts expire next summer, and it doesn't look like they will renew based on the current situation.
The former has received offers from Brazilian clubs Flamengo and Palmeiras.
They are thinking optimistically, hoping the player can terminate his contract with Arsenal and join for free.
The management hopes Thomas will renew, but there is too much pressure off the field.
Recently, there have been boos from fans during matches, and related reports have increased.
Indeed, Saudi Arabia is waiting to sign him, with a guaranteed annual salary of at least 20 million after tax.
It might be better to retire while still in the game and avoid the limelight of the "rape case."
With Jorginho and Thomas leaving, signing Zubimendi is a step back and a step forward, immediately becoming a core player.
He is certainly not as strong as Thomas, and this Spanish midfielder, whose style resembles Arteta's playing days, cannot break through high-pressure situations or clean up dirty balls like Thomas.
In terms of suitability, Edson from Atalanta is the best fit.
He is physically strong, aggressive, and proficient in pushing forward, protecting the ball, and dribbling.
In the first half of the Champions League match, Edson looked faster than Thomas and could also dribble past players and assist.
It makes one drool.
Zubimendi has also been outstanding in La Liga.
Since the start of the 2022/23 season, he has won possession more times in the midfield third than any other La Liga player by at least 29 times, with a total of 292 recoveries.
Overall, he is a starting player who meets the level of the big six, but with the precedent of Merino, it remains to be seen how Arteta will coach him.
In terms of salary, it aligns with the offer Liverpool made last summer, at 180,000 euros/150,000 pounds per week.
In terms of fees, according to The Athletic's ace reporter David Ornstein, Arsenal will pay a slightly higher transfer fee than the buyout clause.
The buyout clause is 60 million euros, which Arsenal can afford.
However, the team still needs to make signings in the summer window, so paying in installments is preferred due to the pressure of a one-time payment.
Regarding the winter window, after Jesus was ruled out for the season, Arsenal is indeed actively seeking to sign a new striker.
Even Arteta, who was previously vague in interviews, changed his tune, saying, "My answer hasn't changed. We are actively looking to strengthen our squad in the market. We are searching, we are working hard."
Cesko and Vlahovic are the top priorities, and it is said that the management has increased the budget to 50 million pounds.
This budget is enough to secure one of them, with Cesko's buyout clause at 55 million pounds and Vlahovic asking for 50 million pounds.
The only difference between the two is their salaries, with DV9 earning a whopping 360,000 pounds per week, which directly raises Arsenal's top salary by 80,000 pounds.
Therefore, signing DV9 is almost like self-destruction.
If he plays well, Kroenke and Arteta will worry about how to maintain the salary structure.
If he plays poorly, it will be difficult to sell him and it will raise the expectations of other players, making it hard to resolve the situation.
Sky Sports also revealed a new target - Mouani.
Mouani and Arsenal inevitably bring to mind Almunia.
However, before the rumors even spread for three hours, Romano broke the news that the player had decided to join Juventus.
