
Arsenal
Premier League • England
Zubimendi to Arsenal in danger as FOUR clubs including Liverpool plot astonishing hijack

Four clubs hope to derail Martin Zubimendi's move to Arsenal
Four gigantic clubs – including Liverpool – hope to hijack the proposed Martin Zubimendi to Arsenal transfer, though one report has explained how the Gunners could go above and beyond to ensure the deal stays on track.
The Daily Mail broke the news on Tuesday that Arsenal had ‘virtually completed’ the signing of Martin Zubimendi for next summer. The Gunners are prepared to pay the 25-year-old midfielder’s €60m release clause that will unlock his signing at season’s end.
Transfer specialists Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein subsequently confirmed Arsenal were confident of completing a deal and talks with the player regarding personal terms were in full swing.
However, a report from Spanish outlet Sport on Wednesday suggested talk of Zubimendi to Arsenal being a done deal is premature.
They reported Zubimendi is ‘tired of the constant English rumours’ having been the subject of one of last summer’s biggest transfer sagas involving Liverpool.
The Reds had earmarked the Real Sociedad and Spain ace as the perfect player to pull the strings in an Arne Slot midfield. Liverpool were fully prepared to trigger the €60m release clause, though Zubimendi snubbed Liverpool in favour of remaining loyal to his boyhood club.
Even more worryingly for Arsenal fans, Sport cited one source who stated: “Zubimendi has not committed to anyone.”
And according to a fresh update from Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool and three other colossal clubs haven’t given up hope of hijacking the deal Arsenal believe they’ve struck.
Taking to X, Plettenberg named Liverpool, Bayern Munich and LaLiga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona as all ‘keeping a close eye on the situation.’
Nonetheless, Plettenberg did conclude with a more positive update for Arsenal when stressing: ‘Arsenal are showing very concrete interest and pushing a lot to sign him next summer!’
But for the time being at least, The Mail’s claims a deal is practically completed does appear to be a touch premature.
And if Arsenal don’t quickly wrap up an agreement on personal terms with the player, there are no shortage of heavyweight suitors ready to step in and strike a deal of their own.
Arsenal could go above and beyond to seal Zubimendi deal
The Mail stated Arsenal’s goal is to activate Zubimendi’s release clause. The Gunners have reportedly pushed to sign Zubimendi in the current window, though Real Sociedad are dead set against a mid-season sale.
The compromise is Zubimendi will leave at season’s end, though as mentioned, the delay leaves Arsenal vulnerable to a transfer hijack.
But speaking to NBC Sports, The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported Arsenal could actually pay more than the value of the €60m release clause.
The purpose of that would be two-fold. Firstly, it would embolden Real Sociedad to push Zubimendi to join Arsenal ahead of all other suitors. Secondly, it would allow Arsenal to stagger the payments and ensure they can make further big-money signings in the next summer window.
“The release clause in his contract is €60m/$51m,” said Ornstein. “My understanding is that they might look to pay a bit more so that they can stagger the payments and that would allow them to do other business in next summer’s transfer window.”
Latest Arsenal news – Dusan Vlahovic, Bryan Mbeumo
In other news, transfer insider, Rudy Galetti, has informed TEAMtalk that Dusan Vlahovic is Arsenal’s ‘No 1’ striker target for the January window.
Vlahovic’s chances of leaving Juve have soared amid the imminent arrival of Randal Kolo Muani on loan from PSG.
We understand that Arsenal will gather further information on Vlahovic in the coming days and intend to decide whether to make a concrete bid for the Juventus striker later this week.
Elsewhere, Arsenal’s search for a new right winger to provide competition and cover for Bukayo Saka appears to be taking them to Brentford.
Sky Germany recently stated Bryan Mbeumo has been shortlisted by Arsenal and a fresh update from RMC Sport claims a transfer in January is not out of the question.
But with Man Utd, Tottenham and Arsenal all gathering information on Mbeumo, Brentford have been tipped to drive up the price in anticipation of a heated bidding war.
Zubimendi the perfect No 6?
