Arsenal midfielder Jorginho looks set to join Flamengo on a free transfer, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Writing in his column for GiveMeSport, Romano said that the 33-year-old is “close to completing” his switch to the Brazilian Serie A side.
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Jorginho was born in the South American country, despite having represented Italy at international level, so it would mark a return home for the player.
His current deal with the Gunners expires at the end of the season so Flamengo are set to tie him down to a pre-contract agreement ahead of a free transfer at the start of July.
Jorginho’s career at the Emirates
The Italian sealed a £12m move from Chelsea during the 2023 January transfer window. He has gone on to make 76 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners.
However, Jorginho has seen his game time slowly dwindle. He made 19 starts in all competitions last campaign, but he has been restricted to 14 this season, with only 7 coming in the Premier League.
His lack of minutes is partly down to the arrival of Mikel Merino last summer and the fact that Thomas Partey has managed to steer clear of injuries.
Arsenal have a replacement lined up
Romano has confirmed that Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi “remains high on the list” of targets for Arsenal.
It is believed that Mikel Arteta’s side will trigger the €60m (£50m) release clause in the Spanish international’s contract. His style of play is pretty similar to Jorginho’s so many would regard him as a like-for-like replacement if the transfer does go ahead.
Of course, it is not ideal to allow someone to leave on a free but, based on Romano’s information, it appears that Jorginho will soon join Flamengo.
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