Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta
Arsenal have had a near-perfect start to their season as the reigning Premier League champions, but Mikel Arteta is still looking at ways to make the team even stronger.
The Gunners have won eight of their nine games in all competitions so far, with their only defeat coming against Brighton in the Premier League, while they have won both Champions League games against Napoli and Lille, and have progressed to the EFL Cup last 16 after a win over Ipswich.
The manager has been able to rotate the team and keep players fresh too, such is the strength in depth that he has available to him, having brought in the likes of Christos Tzolis, Bruno Guimaraes, and Ezri Konsa during the summer transfer window.
The Spaniard has also been able to give players chances in new positions, with Myles Lewis-Skelly in particular establishing himself as an option in the centre of midfield, rather than solely as a left-back, having impressed hugely at the end of last season.
His performances have seen him start the vast majority of Premier League games this season in midfield, even keeping Guimaraes out of the starting lineup for the most part. But Arteta's decision to stick with the young Englishman has meant that another one of his big-money players has been fighting for minutes.
Declan Rice is the first name on the team sheet in midfield, and captain Martin Odegaard has started the season in excellent form, making it a straight shootout between three players for that final spot.
Guimaraes is the next one in the pecking order, and after scoring winning goals against Sunderland and Leeds, he is expected to get a run sooner rather than later.
But behind him is Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, who have been very limited with their game time. Zubimendi has started just once in all competitions, in the EFL Cup, and has featured for just 90 minutes across five substitute appearances in the Premier League. He's behind Merino in the pecking order, who has started twice in the Champions League and once in the EFL Cup, while appearing as a substitute six times in the top flight.
While Merino is more suited to being a backup player in midfield and can also offer an option playing as a striker, Zubimendi is more limited, and new transfer interest may hand Arsenal the perfect chance to cash in.
Real Madrid Move for Zubimendi Helps Arsenal
Arsenal's Martin Zubimendi looks angry
Arsenal's Martin Zubimendi looks angry
According to a report by Yahoo, Real Madrid have retained their interest in Zubimendi and could step up talks in the coming weeks ahead of the January transfer window.
While losing a player of his quality would be a blow to Arsenal and Arteta, who adores his fellow countryman, the squad can clearly cope without him. Zubimendi will turn 28 the day after the winter window closes, and it seems unlikely that he will have been able to claim a spot in the starting lineup by then.
After paying £60m for him in the summer of 2025, he was a key player in their title charge. But the last months of the season he struggled for form and has now lost his place and fallen way down the pecking order. If Arsenal are able to get their money back, or potentially even more, for a player who is essentially fifth-choice in his position, then that would be incredible business.
Zubimendi wants to play more, Arsenal don't necessarily need him at this stage, and Real Madrid would happily take him off their hands. It feels like a win-win for all involved.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta before the match vs Lille
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta before the match vs Lille