Diego Simeone ‘dreaming’ of January transfer move for £60m Arsenal star | Football

Atletico Madrid are plotting an ambitious January transfer move for out-of-favour Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi, according to reports in Spain.

Zubimendi helped bring Arsenal’s painful 22-year wait for a Premier League title to an end last season, making 34 starts across the top-flight campaign while racking up five goals and an assist.

The 27-year-old was also instrumental in the Champions League as the Gunners progressed to the final for just the second time in the club’s history, only to lose on penalties to PSG in the final.

However, a combination of injury problems, Myles Lewis-Skelly’s resurgence in central midfield and the high-profile summer arrival of Bruno Guimaraes have seen Zubimendi slide down the pecking order in north London.

All seven of Zubimendi’s league appearances this season have come from the substitutes bench and the Spain international has grown frustrated with his peripheral role under Mikel Arteta, desperate for more minutes.

According to Spanish radio station RNE via SPORT, Atletico Madrid have been alerted to the situation as they scour the market for possible midfield reinforcements.

It’s claimed Atleti’s sporting director, Mateu Alemany, believes there is major room for improvement within Diego Simeone’s squad despite the club investing heavily in new recruits in the summer.

Zubimendi’s name is said to have ’emerged as a potential target’ and the 2026 World Cup winner could be ‘one of the prized signings’ of the January transfer window if his struggles continue at Arsenal.

Atleti chiefs are realistic that successfully pulling off such an operation would ‘not be easy’ and are aware that they are not alone in eyeing a move for Zubimendi, with fierce rivals Real Madrid known to be admirers.

Chelsea have also been credited with a strong interest in Zubimendi in recent months and could provide competition for the former Real Sociedad man should an opportunity arise.

But pairing Zubimendi with Pablo Barrios in central midfield would be a ‘dream come true’ for Simeone this winter and Atleti are ready to provide the funds required to make this happen.

The report adds that the prospect of Zubimendi being included in an exchange for Julian Alvarez is ‘not impossible’, though there are currently no talks over a potential swap deal.

Zubimendi joined Arsenal from Sociedad for a fee of £60million just 18 months ago having rejected an approach from Liverpool the previous summer.

The Spaniard has three-and-a-half years remaining on his current contract at the Emirates.

When asked about Zubimendi’s limited game-time earlier this month, Arteta insisted the midfielder remained a player of great ‘importance’ in his squad.

The Arsenal head coach was also keen to stress that his fellow countryman had been ‘unlucky’ with injuries.

‘He’s a very important player for us,’ Arteta told reporters.

‘He’s been a bit unlucky with what happened with the ankle, with the nose afterwards. He had some minutes as well, and we have options in midfield. Like anybody else, everybody has to be ready

‘Everybody is going to have the chances to play. Then it’s about performing and helping the team to win football matches.

‘But his energy, his application and his will to help are unquestionable, and he’s an unbelievable player for us.’

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