Arsenal has a good spine with a top forward in Bukayo Saka, a defence with Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba, and a supposed star duo of Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard in the midfield. They might be top players, but they have not been in the optimal midfield set-up that takes advantage of both of their assets. 

That changes with Martin Zubimendi coming in. The Spanish midfielder could be significant for Arsenal, possessing the qualities that manager Mikel Arteta values for his team.

Zubimendi gives Arsenal the midfielder they need

Arsenal has operated with either Thomas Partey or Jorginho as their defensive midfielder or #6 in the 2024-25 season. They have been good because they dictate the game’s pace. However, they are limited on the physical side of the game, as they are slower out of possession (OOP), making other players adjust to them.

With Zubimendi, that won’t be the case as he is athletic enough to play as the #6, but he still has the qualities of Partey and Jorginho. The passing range encourages the rest of the team to bomb forward. Rice, who was a #6 before joining Arsenal, has become the left-sided #8 with Ødegaard on the right.

Now that they have more opportunities to attack, they can focus on that aspect of the game and contribute to creating goals. Rice has done well with that in the 2024-25 season, but Ødegaard could have a resurgent campaign.

Arsenal’s midfield depth will be remarkable

If and when Zubimendi joins Arsenal, the club will have a strong cast of midfielders. The trio of Zubimendi, Rice, and Ø are the primary options, but they also have Mikel Merino, Myles Lewis-Skelly moving from left-back to their preferred midfield roles. 

This midfield also includes Ethan Nwaneri, who has been developed as the depth behind Ødegaard. Another academy graduate, Max Dowman, is also being developed into one of the team’s best midfielders. He is only 15, but the potential is impressive, as Arteta wants to integrate him into the system.

With more reinforcements likely coming in the transfer window, Arsenal could have one of the world’s best midfield lineups. This will make them one of the squads other clubs will be wary of.

Arsenal can win trophies with this core

Zubimendi’s arrival allows more players to be in their natural positions, which could be what Arsenal needs to start winning trophies. Those could come in the Premier League, Champions League, or even the cup competitions, as they have the depth to compete. 

The club has competed at the highest level over the past few seasons, which means those experiences could lead the team to improve and beat the top teams.

Find more expert football pieces here

Arsenal is still one of the most impressive teams in England’s Premier League, but their chances of winning the title have slipped away. Liverpool have pulled ahead in the 2024-25 season, and the Gunners have been left in the dust.

The title charge has already been damaging, but a draw to bitter rivals Manchester United has proven to be a bad result for the North London club. Manager Mikel Arteta has done superbly well this season amidst all the injuries and the lack of recruitment. He was visibly frustrated after the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday, March 9, 2025.

Arteta believes they failed to capitalise against Man U

Arsenal conceded a Bruno Fernandes free-kick goal in the first half, but the Gunners looked ready to bounce back. They finally broke through when Martin Ødegaard and Jurrien Timber carved out the defence to open up a Declan Rice equaliser. Beyond that goal, Arsenal were wasteful with their goal-scoring chances.

After the match, Mikel was furious as it was a winnable game. Man United did not have the best performance, but Arsenal kept having trouble unlocking the low-block defence the Red Devils deployed during the match because of a lack of quality in the attack.

He said, ‘We had some unbelievable situations but we didn't get the last shot or the last pass. We didn't capitalise, we rushed the game, we started to lose duels, and we could have ended up losing it. Sometimes that is what is missing. The execution has to be in to the right player and the right player to shoot�?

Arsenal remains a fantastic team

While most people will be negative about what has happened with Arsenal this season, context is needed in the discourse. They lost multiple star players like Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka for months, which resulted in the team struggling.

Further injuries to players around the team ruined their chances of winning games when they should have. They are a dominant side, but the front office’s struggles with recruitment have been obvious this season.

With reports of former Atlético Madrid director Andrea Berta taking over the sporting director role in North London, this might not be an issue. He has a proven track record of leading a team to success in Spain, and Mikel might finally get his desired players.

Gunners fans are displeased with what they have seen this season, but Arsenal are still a strong side. They will continue to improve, especially with an elite manager like Mikel leading the charge. By getting healthier and doing good scouting, the Gunners can douse the fire and get the much-needed trophy soon.

Find the best football updates here