David_Ornstein on Zubimendi: “Arsenal are expecting him to arrive in the summer. Internally, they seem to be working on the basis that Zubimendi will be coming in & they’ll be building the team with him in there.”

Arsenal Are Expecting Him To Arrive” – David Ornstein Reveals That £52M Summer Transfer Is All But Sealed

Arsenal are “working on the basis” that Martin Zubimendi will be at the Emirates next season, according to The Athletic‘s David Ornstein.

The trusted journalist says the Gunners feel that the Spanish international’s switch from Real Sociedad has been wrapped up:

“Arsenal are expecting him to arrive in the summer… Internally, they seem to be working on the basis that Zubimendi will be coming in & they’ll be building the team with him in there.”

Zubimendi has a €60m (£52m) release clause in his contract and that is the figure Mikel Arteta’s side are likely to pay for the player.

Reports in Spain have cast doubt on his move to Arsenal

It has been claimed that Real Madrid were confident of hijacking the transfer, with Zubimendi said to be keen on making the move to the European champions.

The likes of Liverpool and Manchester City have also been credited with an interest in the 26-year-old but Ornstein’s remarks suggest that the Gunners are confident that they have the full agreement of the player.

Who will Zubimendi replace?

Jorginho is set to leave the Emirates when his contract expires at the end of June. The Italian international could return to the country of his birth, Brazil, with Flamengo reportedly in advanced negotiations to seal his signature.

Zubimendi does have plenty of similar traits to Jorginho in terms of his passing range and his ability to dictate the tempo of the game from a deep-lying midfield position.

Some may argue that spending £50m+ to replace someone who was only a bit-part player may not be the best use of resources, but if the club are to make the leap forward to winning the Premier League next campaign, they will need depth in all positions.