Arsenal are closing in on signing a “world-class star”.

After beating Brentford on New Year’s Day, Arsenal they failed to win any of the next three games.

Mikel Arteta side drew with Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League and then lost to Newcastle United and Manchester United in League Cup and FA Cuprespectively.

Despite receiving in each of those games, it turned out that the biggest problem is the attack of the Gunners, and while he is the captain of the club Martin Odegaard he looked better against the Red Devils – barring his horrendous penalty, that is – he looked far from his sensational best of the year.

His poor form is undoubtedly partly due to the ankle injury he suffered earlier in the season, but could also be a result of the chopping and changing of the midfield around him, with recent reports linking the club with someone who could be a mainstay in next season’s squad and a dream team-mate , should delight fans.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report by talkSPORT Chief Football Correspondent Alex CrookArsenal are seriously interested in signing Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi this summer.

In fact, Crook goes a step further, claiming that personal terms are “already in place” with the player and Liverpool are now “not expected to reconsider their interest”.

Crook did not mention how much the transfer could cost, but in another report earlier today, journalist Sami Mokbel revealed that the Gunners will activate the £51 million release clause in the Spaniard’s contract in the summer.

That’s undoubtedly a lot of money, but given Zubimendi’s ability, it could prove more than worthwhile, especially as he could be a dream team-mate for Odegaard.

Why Zubimendi would be an ideal teammate

So, there are several reasons why Zubimendi would be a great teammate for Odegaard in this Arsenal team, the first being that they have already played together.

Before joining the Gunners in 2021, the Norwegian maestro spent the 19/20 season on loan with Real Sociedad, where he played with Mikel Merino in midfield, which the then 25-year-old Spaniard joined towards the end of the campaign.

Another reason he would be a great teammate is that he rarely gets injured, because he misses only ten games from the start campaigns 20/21.

This is incredibly important, as his ability to start games week in and week out should help him build football relationships with his new teammates, maintain a sense of continuity within the squad and help build momentum.

As they say, availability is the best ability.

In the end, as his core numbers show, a “world-class” international, as they call him Spanish football writer Alexandra Jonsonhe is capable of fulfilling both the defensive and attacking responsibilities of playing at the base of midfield, thus allowing Odegaard to focus his attention on what is happening at the sharp end of the pitch.

For example, according to FBrefThe 25-year-old ranks in the top 5% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League for take-on success and aerial duels won, top 10% for dribblers tackled, top 11% for clearances, top 12% for blocked passes, first 15% for blocked shots and more, all 90.

Ultimately, it may not make a difference this season, but the news that Arsenal are ready to sign Zubimendi in the summer should get fans seriously excited, as with him in the squad, Odegaard could have more license to progress and play to his full potential.