Arsenal receive transfer 'boost' in pursuit of £51m midfielder after Real Madrid claim made

Arsenal will begin to look ahead to next season, even though they are mathematically still in the Premier League title race.

They lost 1-0 to West Ham United last weekend, which has left Mikel Arteta’s side 11 points off Liverpool who beat Manchester City. Considering the Reds have lost just one game in the Premier League all season long, it leaves Arsenal with a major uphill challenge. Although the Gunners do have a game in hand over their title rivals.

The Gunners play against Nottingham Forest in their next game, with the City Ground club proving a tough nut to crack on home soil this season. But as they look forward to next year, Arsenal will be keen to land one of their main transfer targets early in the summer.

Arsenal receives transfer boost in pursuit of Zubimendi

The Gunners have been heavily linked to signing Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi. Reports emerged in January that they had agreed to pay his £51 million release clause to bring the Spaniard to the Emirates.

However, Real Madrid are also said to be interested in Zubimendi, who has impressed for Sociedad this season. The 26-year-old has made 24 La Liga appearances this season, scoring one goal and providing two assists. He would provide Arsenal with a replacement for Jorginho and Thomas Partey, whose contracts are both set to expire in June, meaning they will likely leave the club unless late extensions are signed.

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Arsenal have been handed a boost as they aim to sign Zubimendi because Real Madrid has pulled out their transfer interest in the midfielder.

The report says that Real Madrid club president Florentino Perez, is confident that current midfielder, and former Arsenal player, Dani Ceballos can continue his impressive form and that they no longer need to sign a new midfielder.

This means that Arsenal aren’t set to be challenged in signing Zubimendi, leaving them free to pay the £51m release clause and negotiate a deal with the 26-year-old.

Arsenal midfielder agrees deal to leave

Jorginho’s contract is due to expire in June, but Arsenal do have the option to extend his deal in North London by an extra year if they want to keep him around as a squad player for next season.

However, seeing as the Italy international has made just 11 Premier League appearances for the Gunners this season, it looks like Arsenal will allow him to leave at the end of the season.

Last week it was reported that he rejected a move to Qatar in favour of returning to Brazil, where he has family. Jorginho was born in Brazil, and it has been said that Flamengo are in talks with the midfielder in order to get him to join for next season.

There is reportedly a verbal agreement between the 33-year-old and Flamengo, meaning that a departure back to Brazil looks more and more likely for the midfielder. He has spent the last two years at Arsenal, making over 70 appearances.

In other news, Arsenal face competition from rivals Tottenham in order to sign a Premier League striker in the summer.