{statorium_team tid=9 sid=252 text="Arsenal's"} pursuit of midfield target {statorium_player pid=3620 sid=262 text="Martin Zubimendi"} may have picked up a significant boost, thanks to an unexpected helping hand from Xabi Alonso, The Spaniard has reportedly derailed the 'soon to be' Bundesliga winners' transfer plans by turning down offers from {statorium_team tid=47 sid=274 text="Bayern Munich"} and {statorium_team tid=3 sid=252 text="Liverpool"}.
Given that Mikel Arteta has long sought Zubimendi, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the player is still of interest to Arsenal. The {statorium_team tid=32 sid=262 text="Real Sociedad"} player, whose release clause is worth £51 million, has also attracted interest from Bayern and {statorium_team tid=23 sid=262 text="Barcelona"} with his La Liga performances.
Xabi Alonso is also among his many admirers. Should Bayern be successful in appointing the Leverkusen manager as their next head coach, Zubimendi would be their top choice. But since Alonso is staying put, their desire to sign the 25-year-old could be contingent on the selection of Thomas Tuchel's successor.
The transfer situation surrounding Zubimendi
Barcelona are in a similar situation, with their interest appearing to cool without a head coach in place for next season. That leaves Arsenal in pole position for Zubimendi, who could complete a midfield with {statorium_player pid=12 sid=252 text="Declan Rice"} and {statorium_player pid=4356 sid=252 text="Martin Odegaard"} next season.
Last summer, Zubimendi declined offers from other teams in order to play for Sociedad in the Champions League. He intended to stay at the club again in January after making it to the knockout stage, but Sociedad is unlikely to replicate their European endeavours as they are currently seven points behind {statorium_team tid=40 sid=262 text="Athletic Club"} in fourth place.
Furthermore, one of Arsenal's own players has already offered Zubimendi the highest recommendation. During his season-long loan at Sociedad, {statorium_player pid=4289 sid=262 text="Kieran Tierney"} was taken aback by the level of play of his new teammates.
"You have world-class players like Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Brais Mendez, It's not that people don't think they're good, it's just that if you're only watching the Premier League every week, it's hard to know. They're world class.",- Tierney said.
And Spain international Zubimendi could be the perfect replacement for {statorium_player pid=1124 sid=252 text="Thomas Partey"}, with Arsenal increasingly likely to cash in on the Ghanaian with just over a year left on his contract at the Emirates.
Furthermore, with a little more than a year remaining on his contract at the Emirates, Arsenal is expected to cash in on Thomas Partey, making Spain international Zubimendi the ideal replacement.
Since Partey's career has been disrupted by injury, Rice and {statorium_player pid=206 sid=252 text="Jorginho"} have been given more games. The two anchored Arsenal's midfield in the team's goalless draw against {statorium_team tid=4 sid=252 text="Manchester City"} on Sunday.
Arsenal can jump ahead of both Bayern and Barcelona with their summer transfer intentions while Alonso stays at {statorium_team tid=57 sid=274 text="Leverkusen"}. They can proceed with their plans to activate Zubimendi's £51 million release clause and bring him to North London.