Rice’s dream: Arsenal have “wrapped up” deal for “world-class” £51m monster

All the hope and positivity that was building ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain has all but vanished now.

The defeat to the French Champions has condemned Mikel Arteta’s side to another disappointing end to a season which promised so much back in August.

With all that said, while plenty of players have stagnated or taken a step back for the Gunners this year, some haven’t, such as Declan Rice.

The Englishman has somehow become even more important for the club this season, and he could get better still next year as recent reports have linked Arsenal with an international who’d be a dream teammate.

Arsenal’s midfield search

So, before we get to the player in question, it is worth looking at some of the other midfielders Arsenal have been linked to in recent months, like Frenkie De Jong and Kevin de Bruyne.

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The former’s contract negotiations with Barcelona are reportedly not going particularly well at the moment, so there may be a chance for the Gunners to turn the Dutchman’s head, and given his leadership qualities and the fact he’s capable of playing in the eight or six, it would certainly be worth a try.

Now, signing the latter would undoubtedly be a surprise, but the Belgian has been linked with the North Londoners since it was announced he would leave City at the end of the season, and while he’s on the older side, he’d still be a brilliant short-term option, as this season alone he’s racked up 14 goal involvements in 36 games.

However, to get more out of Rice next season, the club might need someone to play slightly further back, like Martin Zubimendi.

The Spanish international is still very much in the picture for Arsenal, and now Miguel Delaney has revealed in a recent report that the deal to sign him is “wrapped up.”

Reports from earlier this year revealed that the impressive midfielder has a release clause worth around £51m, which will almost certainly have to be paid upfront.

It’s not going to be a cheap deal, but given Zubimendi’s ability and experience, it’s one that will be worth doing, especially as he could help make Rice even better.

Why Zubimendi would make Rice even better

When Arsenal signed Rice for a club-record £105m in the summer of 2023, there was a general expectation from fans and pundits alike that he’d come in and be the club’s new number six for the foreseeable future.

After all, he spent the majority of his time at West Ham United playing in front of the defence and excelling there.

However, while he has made many appearances in that position since moving to the Emirates, his role has evolved, and now, when everyone is fit, he plays as the left-eight.

This new position has allowed the Englishman to have far more of an impact in the attacking phases of play, and with eight goals and ten assists this season alone, it would be fair to say it’s a change that’s more than worked out.

So then, why would Zubimendi help him reach yet another level?

Well, simply put, while the “world-class” Spaniard, as dubbed by former teammate Kieran Tierney, can also play in both roles, he specialises at the base of the midfield, and given his age and relatively clean injury record, he’d be able to completely take over that role in the team.

In turn, this would free the former Hammers captain to become even more attacking next year and increase the number of explosive, lung-busting runs fans have become more accustomed to in recent years.

Furthermore, the Real Sociedad star’s presence there should provide more reassurance to the Gunners’ number 41, as his underlying defensive numbers are pretty impressive.

For example, according to FBref, he sits in the top 6% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for shots blocked and clearances, the top 7% for percentage of aerial duels won, the top 11% for percentage of dribblers challenged, the top 14% for aerial duels won and more, all per 90.

On top of that, he’s already vastly experienced, having made 232 appearances for La Real and 15 for Spain, who he helped beat England in last year’s European Championship final.

Ultimately, while it’s not the most exciting signing, Zubimendi looks like he’ll be able to slot in and compliment this Arsenal team perfectly and help Rice become even more unplayable.

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