Arsenal set to beat Liverpool, Man City & Real Madrid to £51m midfielder | OneFootball

Arsenal are expected to win the competitive race to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, with a £51m deal for next summer set to be agreed according to a report.

Zubimendi has been the subject of extensive interest for years. The technically gifted controller who operates at the base of Real Sociedad's midfield infamously snubbed Liverpool last summer, opting to remain at his boyhood club to develop as a player.

After six more months of steadily impressive displays in the Spanish top flight, Zubimendi is now ready for a move away.

Liverpool retained an interest in the 25-year-old and Manchester City had identified him as a potential replacement for his compatriot Rodri. Even Real Madrid joined the ever-growing list of suitors, but Arsenal appear to have edged out those lofty rivals.

Martin Zubimendi has missed just one league game this season / Soccrates Images/GettyImages

The Gunners have all but agreed to a trigger the £51m release clause in Zubimendi's contract, with a move "virtually completed" according to the Daily Mail. Despite Arsenal's desire to bring the Spaniard to London this month, Real Sociedad have insisted on keeping their star player until the summer.

Many would argue that a new midfielder should not be Arsenal's transfer priority. Gabriel Jesus could be sidelined for the rest of the season with a knee injury sustained during last weekend's FA Cup defeat to Manchester United, adding to the absences of fellow forwards Bukayo Saka and Ethan Nwaneri.

Arteta admitted that the club "are actively looking into the market to improve the squad", but they are limited by more than the usual constraints of the winter window. With Neto and Raheem Sterling already on loan, Arsenal can sign no more loanees from Premier League clubs for the rest of the season.

While Zubimendi won't solve Arsenal's distinct lack of cutting edge - he has scored a grand total of nine goals during his entire senior career - he will offer a youthful replacement to the outgoing midfield duo of Thomas Partey and Jorginho, both of whom will be out of contract in the summer.