Arteta ‘recommends’ signing to Arsenal board as fate of Gunners duo is sealed

· Football365

Mikel Arteta would reportedly like Arsenal to sign Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong in January to seal Martin Zubimendi’s fate at the club.

Mikel Arteta would like the Arsenal board to sign Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong in a January deal that would seal Martin Zubimendi’s fate at the club, according to reports.

The Gunners won the Premier League last season as Mikel Arteta guided them to their first title in 22 years, while they also reached the Champions League final.

Arsenal have improved their midfielder with Bruno Guimaraes arriving from Newcastle United and Christian Norgaard leaving to join Everton.

Zubimendi was a key cog in Arteta’s engine room last season but the Spaniard faded as the campaign went on, probably due to the demands of playing so many matches.

Guimaraes and other midfielders were expected to get more minutes than Zubimendi this season and that has so far played out in their first 17 matches of the season in all competitions.

Zubimendi has made zero starts in the Premier League and just one in the Champions League this campaign, while he has been in Arteta’s starting XI twice in the League Cup, which they exited to Fleetwood Town on penalties late last month.

And now reports in Spain are claiming that Arteta is already eyeing up Zubimendi’s replacement in the form of Barcelona midfielder De Jong after the Arsenal head coach ‘recommended this signing to the board, given that it wouldn’t be a very high cost’.

The report adds: ‘The Basque coach is a great admirer of the former Ajax Amsterdam and Willem II player, whom he believes could be a significant asset to the team. Furthermore, he would help fill the potential gap left by Mikel Merino, who is expected to move on, and also by Martín Zubimendi. The signing of the 29-year-old would be a key factor in Paris Saint-Germain’s pursuit of the player born in 1999, creating a domino effect.

> ‘If he’s already struggling for playing time under Bruno Guimaraes, Declan Rice, and Myles Lewis-Skelly, things would only get more complicated for the San Sebastián native if De Jong lands in London. This would likely push him to leave, a decision he’s practically made, and among his suitors is the current two-time Champions League winner. Luis Enrique would be delighted to work alongside him.’

Zubimendi is said to be ‘keeping a close eye’ on any news about De Jong to Arsenal as he ‘knows that if Arteta signs him, his future at Arsenal would be sealed’.

Arsenal star made public statement about his future earlier this week

When asked if he’d like to remain at Arsenal until at least next summer, Zubimendi said earlier this week: “Yes, I hope so. I’m happy there.

> “I spoke with Mikel at the beginning of the season. As he does with all the players, he explained the plan to me.

> “He warned me that there were new signings and that there would be playing time for everyone. And here we are, fighting for it.

> “I understand because, for me, we’re among the five best teams in Europe.

> “There are some fantastic players. New signings have arrived in my position, and there were already some very good players.

> “I’m also part of that competition that makes it so difficult to get playing time.”

Zubimendi concluded: “I’m calm and happy with how I’m handling this situation. It’s something I’ve never experienced before, and I think you learn from these situations too.

> “Besides, it’s in moments like these that you need the people around you the most, and they’re there for you.

> “I’m patient. When you’ve been playing a lot of minutes and your role changes to not playing as much, I’m able to see the positive side.

> “I think everything passes, that just like last year the opposite happened to me and I played practically everything, this can change very quickly.”

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