Arsenal linked with two of Spain’s top class Euro 2024 stars – this is the one they must sign
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For months now, Arsenal have been linked with a summer move for Real Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi, the energetic defensive midfielder that came on at half-time to play his part in England’s defeat in the Euro 2024 final on Sunday. But according to more recent reports, all those scouting trips to San Sebastián have left them debating whether they should sign one of Zubimendi’s team-mates instead.
Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo are among the sources for a story which suggests that Arsenal’s collective heads have been turned by Mikel Merino – fellow Sociedad and Spain midfielder and another of the substitutes that came on to finish the job in Berlin. Apparently, the Gunners are now considering offering Merino the “contract of a lifetime” to come to North London, with Zubimendi left as an afterthought. Assuming the reports are true, though, would Mikel Arteta and his transfer team be right to sign Merino instead?
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Hide AdZubimendi and Merino played slightly different roles in Sociedad’s midfield three, with the former operating as the central holding midfielder while the latter played a more aggressive role, usually on the left, shuttling between attack and defence and looking for space slightly further up the pitch – but Merino is not a natural number ten and it would be likely that if either signed they would operate in Arsenal’s double pivot alongside Declan Rice.
At first glance Zubimendi (the younger of the two at 25) the more defensively-minded of the two, might seem like the obvious first choice – after all, he’s used to sitting deep and keeping things tight in front of a back four, and has an impressive track record of doing exactly that, and he has a substantially better success rate with his tackles than the 28-year-old Merino does (around 55% compared to 45% over the past year’s worth of work for club and country). If defensive solidity is the priority, then Zubimendi looks like a safe bet.
But the point of a true double pivot is typically to play a pair of midfielders who are both capable of venturing further downfield and assisting with the attack, with one going forward and one staying back depending on the situation. That’s something which Rice’s partners last season rather struggled with – and it isn’t Zubimendi’s strongest suit either.
Although a very solid passer of the ball, his range is limited and he doesn’t possess the vision that the best creative players have. On average, he generates less than two shooting chances for his team-mates per match, behind Merino – who is also a considerably better dribbler and a player who is adept at getting into half-spaces in and around the penalty area to provide passing options for those around him.
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Hide AdWhile Merino may be less consistent in the tackle, his defensive statistics weigh up very well. Zubimendi reads the game well and made more interceptions but Merino made more tackles and more overall turnovers, helped along by a more impressive physical presence that also makes him an excellent aerial defender when set pieces come into play. Part of the reason for those statistics is that Merino had more freedom to go and press opposing players and look for chances to force turnovers, but while Zubimendi is a more efficient defender, Merino has plenty of quality in that area while offering more going forward.
The flip side of the coin is that neither are truly high-level attacking threats in their own right. Zubimendi scored four goals last season in La Liga, Merino five, and for all that Merino generates more shooting opportunities he only provided 0.6xG’s worth of chances more than his counterpart. The argument for Zubimendi is that he is the superior defender who can also play a role in the passing game which isn’t so far behind Merino in terms of end product. The argument for Merino is that he does enough defensively and offers more options going forward with better passing and running.
The ultimate decision will come down to whether Arteta, Edu and the other decision-makers at the Emirates feel they want more defensive stability or more flair and aggression alongside Rice, who already offers plenty of both – but there is another factor which may prove decisive, and that, as always, is money.
Zubimendi has a release clause of €60m (£50.4m) in his contract and it’s likely that Arsenal would have to pay all or most of that given that Sociedad still have him under contract through to 2027. Merino, on the other hand, has just one year left on his deal and his own (larger) release clause won’t come into play. The reports from Spain haven’t offered up a specific figure, but he would almost certainly be substantially cheaper given that Sociedad need to cash in.
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Hide AdArsenal are hardly short of cash, but between the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules and the likely need to sign a new number nine, they may be forced to scrimp and save a little in positions where it’s easier to economise, and this is a golden opportunity to do just that.
Merino is a hard-working player who won’t win as many defensive battles as Zubimendi but will still provide solid protection for the back line while being dynamic going forward. Zubimendi is, undeniably, the better defender, but not by a vast margin, and is the inferior attacking force while costing considerably more. If Arsenal want a true holding midfielder and feel they have the money to burn, Zubimendi is the man – otherwise, it’s hard to make a strong case against Merino.
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