Mikel Arteta tipped to sell Arsenal star after agreeing £51m transfer deal
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Mikel Arteta has been tipped to sell an Arsenal midfielder after the Gunners secured a deal to sign Martin Zubimendi.
It was reported on Tuesday that Arsenal had reached an agreement with La Liga side Real Sociedad to sign Zubimendi at the end of the season.
Zubimendi, 25, rejected a move to Liverpool last summer after impressing in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph in Germany. The defensive midfielder has also been heavily linked with Manchester City.
Jorginho and Thomas Partey are both out of contract at the end of the season so Zubimendi could fill the gap if neither are offered new deals.
Former Premier League midfielder Craig Burley believes Arsenal’s move for Zubimendi is a sign that Arteta is preparing to offload Mikel Merino, who only joined the Gunners last summer.
Arsenal spent £32m to sign Merino from Zubimendi’s current club Real Sociedad but the 28-year-old has had a limited impact at the Emirates Stadium.
If Zubimendi does move to north London, Merino could find himself behind not only his former Sociedad teammate in Arteta’s pecking order but also England star Declan Rice.
Discussing Arsenal’s need for a new striker as they chase Premier League leaders Liverpool, ex-Chelsea and Scotland midfielder Burley told ESPN: 'I think Liverpool will drop the odd point here and there but I can't see them having a disaster.
‘Arsenal are going to have to do something pretty special. I don't think signing a new striker guarantees anything but it gives them a much better chance.
‘They new this would probably be the scenario. They knew they didn't have a natural goalscorer.
‘They went out and signed Mikel Merino and Riccardo Calafiori last summer. They’re good players, but now they're being linked with a move for Martin Zubimendi in the summer.
‘That would mean Merino going out because Merino is not going to play in front of Zubimendi and Rice.
‘But even if they do bring in a new midfielder, they're still going to need to address the striker position, that's the key area.’
Zubimendi has been one of the best midfielders in La Liga over the past five seasons, making more than 200 appearances for boyhood club Real Sociedad.
Explaining why he rejected the chance to move to Liverpool last summer, Zubimendi said: ‘The best thing for me was to stay here and I am happy and at peace.
‘Because of the press there is a lot of noise but in the end everything is easer than all that.
‘Of course I don’t regret it, I can’t think that after four or five games at the start of the season.
‘I made my decision from within, I thought it was the best thing to do, the results don’t affect me.
‘I see the potential in this team, you just have to watch us train and I’m excited about having a good season.’
The club Zubimendi rejected, Liverpool, are currently six points clear at the top of the Premier League and also sit top of the Champions League group phase.
He has also been repeatedly linked with Manchester City, who have slipped to just sixth in the Premier League, their hopes of lifting a record-extending fifth successive title all-but over.
Zubimendi’s possible future club Arsenal, meanwhile, are third in the Premier League ahead of a crucial north London derby against Tottenham on Wednesday night.
The Gunners have endured a difficult start to 2025, dropping points in the title race and being knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United.
Arteta’s side are also on the verge of Carabao Cup elimination after losing 2-0 to Newcastle United in the first leg of their semi-final tie.
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