SETTABLOID

Arsenal have won the race to sign Martin Zubimendi after the Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel revealed an agreement has virtually been closed with Real Sociedad to bring the Liverpool target to Emirates Stadium, with the timeline of the deal and the costs involved also coming to light.

The Spain star was followed closely by Liverpool last summer as the Reds looked to make the Real Sociedad man the first signing of the Arne Slot era on Merseyside. But despite agreeing to activate his €60m (£51m) exit clause and having agreed personal terms with the player over the switch, an 11th-hour change of heart saw the move break down.

However, with Zubimendi then remaining with his hometown club for the season, speculation over his future has risen once again in recent weeks amid claims he remains on the Reds’ radar, while also coming under surveillance from Manchester City as they look to replace ACL-injury victim Rodri.

He writes that Arsenal have moved to trigger his £51m exit clause, and with negotiations now at an advanced stage, sources have indicated that the deal is virtually completed.

He claims that Gunners boss Mikel Arteta had wanted the move for Zubimendi done now but has been forced to put the move on the backburner with Sociedad chiefs making it clear to the player that, while they would not, or could not, stand in his way, their preference would be for the move to go through at the season’s end. As a result, Zubimendi has agreed to honour that wish.

The future of Ronald Araujo has been in focus in recent weekThe future of Ronald Araujo has been in focus this week, with speculation growing over a potential move away from Catalonia.

Barcelona, for their part, are not too keen on selling the defender unless they receive a favourable offer. Their priority is to convince the defender to extend his contract, failing which the club are likely to force him out.

Araujo, in fact, was closely linked with a move to Juventus. But his participation against Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup appears to have changed the circumstance, a bit.

Barcelona players try to convince Araujo

In fact, In the aftermath of Barcelona’s commanding victory in the Super Cup, a special moment was captured by Movistar+, showcasing Robert Lewandowski’s attempt to persuade Ronald Araujo to remain with the club.

Lewandowski was direct in his plea, stating (h/t MARCA), “Ronald, you have to stay,” followed by a look towards his teammates, confidently declaring, “He stays, he stays now. New contract.”

He further elaborated, “You can [leave] at the end of the season. It’s better for you. You play now, here you play.”

Araujo’s response was muted, leaving room for speculation about his future at Barcelona. His only clear word was, “Brother.”

Araujo’s contract situation is critical as his agents are actively exploring transfer options. Several European clubs have shown interest in the young defender, aware of his potential availability.

Juventus, as mentioned earlier, have made the first move by submitting an offer of €35 million, which Barcelona swiftly rejected.

It’s a fairly quick turnaround for Arsenal this week with midweek Premier League action on the horizon for Mikel Arteta’s side.

The Gunners host Tottenham in the North London Derby on Wednesday night (8pm kick-off) in what is the perfect chance to bounce back from the disappointment of their FA Cup exit. Arsenal were unable to get past 10-man Manchester United in the third round clash, going out on penalties.

It has increased talk over attacking reinforcements arriving at the Emirates Stadium before the end of the current transfer window. Teams now have just under three weeks to complete their business.

Arsenal sent transfer reminder

The injury to Gabriel Jesus in Sunday’s FA Cup clash against Manchester United has only increased the talk over the club moving for attacking reinforcements before the end of the January transfer window. The forward was stretched off the pitch in the 39th minute of the 1-1 draw, a game which Arsenal eventually lost on penalties.

Speaking after the game, Arteta said: “Big worry, that’s my feeling. He had to come off on a stretcher with a lot of pain, touching his knee. It’s not looking good.”

Kai Havertz took the role of central striker but saw chances to take the lead against the 10-men of United come and go. It has led to talk over potential January moves.

Arsenal scouts were among those present for the Taca da Liga final between Benfica and Sporting, according to various reports in Portugal. It’s no surprise that Gyokeres was on the scoresheet for the latter, with the game ending in a 1-1 draw and Benfica eventually coming out as winners after a penalty shootout.

It’s not said who the scouts may have been watching, Andreas Schjelderup, who has also been mentioned with Arsenal, was also on the scoresheet, scoring Benfica’s opening goal in the 19th minute.

Arsenal’s worst fears are that Brazil international striker Gabriel Jesus has suffered cartilage or ligament damage, according to the Daily Mail journalist Sami Mokbel.

The 27-year-old Gunners star picked up a serious knee injury during the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United on Sunday and had to be stretchered off.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his worry after the game when asked about the injury, and the latest update could raise questions over whether Jesus can play again this season.

The South American may need to go under the knife if he has suffered cartilage or ligament damage, and he is unlikely to play again this season should he undergo surgery.

The number of months a full recovery will take after an operation could be much, and Arsenal may have no choice but to sign another forward during the ongoing January transfer window.

However, they will be keen to wait for the results of scans and consult specialists before making a decision, and there are just three weeks left for them to make up their mind.

The North Londoners are also without Bukayo Saka, and failure to strengthen in attack could end their Premier League title chances.

There have been calls to sign a new forward even when both Jesus and the England international were fit, and the Gunners may now be left without a choice.

The onus is on them to ensure they pull out all the stops and bring in a quality forward capable of improving their fortunes in the attacking third before the winter window closes.

Arsenal are out of the FA Cup, close to being eliminated from the Carabao Cup and will struggle to impress in the Champions League and Premier League with their current squad.

Arsenal’s struggle to find the back of the net is becoming increasingly problematic, with each passing week highlighting the issue further. Despite dominating their FA Cup third round match against Manchester United, the Gunners were ultimately defeated on penalties, missing out on yet another trophy.

Post-match, Mikel Arteta praised his team but admitted he was baffled by their loss. The absence of a reliable No.9 seems to be the glaring issue, one that Arsenal have yet to address despite numerous opportunities.

Kai Havertz has been leading their line predominantly, while Gabriel Jesus, now injured, isn’t consistent enough to guarantee 20 goals every season. Beyond these two, there’s a noticeable lack of depth in the squad, reports the Mirror.

When asked about the possibility of a new striker, Arteta said: “New striker? We missed form various ways and different players. I understand guys. I cannot love my players more. I focus very much on the ones that I have”.

Securing a good deal in January can be challenging, with clubs often hiking up prices. The chances of signing a proven player like Newcastle’s Alexander Isak are slim. So, who could Arsenal realistically target to solve their goal-scoring woes? Below are five players who could realistically make the move to north London this winter.

Liam Delap

Ipswich’s forward has caught the attention of Gary Lineker after his stellar performances with the Tractor Boys. Despite not getting many opportunities at Manchester City, Delap is now proving his worth.

Arsenal are without a win in their last three matches and welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.

The second North London Derby comes at a difficult period for both clubs, with Spurs very inconsistent and currently 12th in the Premier League. The Gunners go into the clash having been knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United on penalties, despite dominating large periods.

“Incredible how you don’t win that game, that’s basically to sum up,” Mikel Arteta said afterwards. “The dominance, the superiority in relation to the opposition and everything that we did to try to win the game and that’s it we didn’t get what we deserved clearly.

“But there is an element that is about putting the ball in the back of the net that we did once and the amount of situations, chances, penalties that we had we didn’t. We go home extremely sad but I cannot be prouder of my players, the team, the individual collectively what they produced on Wednesday against two top teams it’s incredible. But we haven’t got rewarded and that’s the downside too.”

With plenty of first team regulars playing the full 120 minutes, Arteta may need to make a few changes to his side for the clash at Tottenham. The squad will likely have just the Tuesday to train together ahead of the derby and much may depend on how players react in the coming hours.

One star who looks set to miss the game is Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian was stretchered off in the first half and looks to have picked up a fresh knee injury. “Big worry, that’s my feeling,” Arteta said on the striker. “He had to come off on a stretcher with a lot of pain, touching his knee. It’s not looking good.”

The Gunners now face an anxious wait to find out the extent of the damage. It could mean one of Leandro Trossard or Raheem Sterling comes into the starting line-up, with both players coming off the bench against Man Utd on Sunday.

Arteta may also make two changes to his midfield. Declan Rice and Thomas Partey did not make the starting line-up against Ruben Amorim’s side but could replace Mikel Merino and Jorginho’s in Arteta’s midfield three.

Nico Williams has reportedly ‘chosen’ to join Arsenal from Athletic Bilbao having been ‘convinced’ by Mikel Arteta’s two ‘promises’.

Arsenal were vying for Williams‘ transfer in the summer along with Barcelona, but the star of Euro 2024 opted to stay with the Basque club for another season.

Reports in Spain now claim he’s now decided to leave the club to ‘play in the Champions League every year’.

Barcelona no longer see Williams as a priority amid the outstanding form of Raphinha for them on the left wing, opening the door to Premier League suitors.

It’s claimed Arteta has already made ‘contact’ with Williams – who has a €58m release clause – and his agent to ‘convince’ him to move to the Emirates, ‘promising’ the winger a ‘blank check’ and ‘untouchable’ status at the club.

Athletic Bilbao are unlikely to let Williams leave in the middle of the season despite Arteta’s apparent desire to bring him to the Emirates in January, as reported by transfer expert David Ornstein last week.

Arsenal could transform their season with one transfer following their FA Cup heartbreak defeat to Manchester United and it could happen in the final weeks of the January window, judging from the latest reports.

It has been a difficult two weeks or so for Mikel Arteta’s side who now find themselves down by a two-goal deficit in their EFL Cup semi-final with Newcastle United as well as drawing with Brighton and losing out to Man United over the weekend.

With the January transfer window in full swing, recent shortcomings on the pitch have led to more drastic transfer rumours – especially when it comes to attack. Reports have only been intensified since after striker Gabriel Jesus suffered an injury during the weekend’s action that looks set to rule him out for the foreseeable future.

With 32 goals and six assists in 30 games, he is seen as one potential solution to Arsenal’s attacking issues and a reputable, clinical forward to replace the likes of Jesus and Kai Havertz.

Gyokeres wouldn’t be available until the summer, leaving Arsenal scrambling around for a solution to their striker issues.

Rivals Man United supposedly do not have the funds to reunite their manager Ruben Amorim with his former player unless they manage to sell one of their attackers, such as Joshua Zirkzee which is unlikely at the current time.

A fee lying somewhere in the region of €60m (£49.8m, $62.2m) to €70m (£58m, $72.5m) was cited – with £80m being quoted in the latest Independent release. If he remains at the club until summer then Arsenal face a difficult end to the season and an uncertainty over whether they could acquire his signature.

Even if they have to wait until the summer to approach such a deal, there may be more attractive options on the table for the blossoming forward, who has been linked with moves to elite clubs all over Europe. Arsenal finishing without a trophy would leave them without true bargaining power, despite the stature of the club.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko has also been a name floated; the 21-year-old stunned at the weekend with a long-range striker against Werder Bremen which included a brilliant strike from 25 metres which had a speed of 126km/h. He too has been eyed by multiple elite clubs around Europe.