Given the persistent rumors that Thomas Partey, Jorginho, and Mohamed Elneny will be leaving Arsenal in the coming year, Mikel Arteta would be well-advised to search the transfer market for midfield replacements. Express Sport walks you through four strong candidates the Gunners might choose to combine with Declan Rice here.
Douglas Lopez
Under Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, the Brazilian has elevated his game to a new level this year. Luiz is a productive player who can score and provide an assist in his 12 Premier League games, and Arteta is reportedly a fan.
The midfielder’s career is only going in one direction, therefore it is not surprising to learn that the Gunners’ interest has apparently rekindled ahead of the January transfer window. Last summer, Villa rejected a £25 million deal from the Gunners.
Arthur Vermeeren
Vermeeren, the general in midfield for Royal Antwerp, is the only player Arteta needs to search elsewhere if he feels like taking a bigger risk. The 18-year-old’s lack of experience makes it unlikely that he would be able to debut for Arsenal right away because he has never participated in a major European league.
However, there’s no denying the hype surrounding the child’s potential. Having made four Champions League appearances this season, the Belgian might fetch as little as £13 million, with Arsenal and Barcelona reportedly leading the chase.
Now a pillar of the Corinthians first team, the teenager reportedly caught the eye of sporting director Edu during a recent scouting trip to his native Brazil. Chelsea had an £18m bid for Moscardo rejected in the summer, and his price tag has increased in the meantime.
Martin Zubimendi
Experienced by comparison, 24-year-old Zubimendi has racked up more than 200 first-team appearances for Real Sociedad. His exploits in defensive midfield have also seen him break through on the international stage, earning four caps for Spain over the past two years.
Arteta and co are believed to hold a long-standing interest in Zubimendi, and while they proved reluctant to pull the trigger in the summer, it remains to be seen whether the Londoners have come around to the prospect of shelling out his £53m release clause.