Ex-Gunner urges Arsenal to use Zubimendi as makeweight in Alvarez deal
Alan Smith believes Arsenal could use Martin Zubimendi as a bargaining chip in a swap deal to sign Julian Alvarez, with Atletico Madrid reportedly keen on bringing the Spaniard back to La Liga.
Zubimendi arrived from Real Sociedad for £60million 18 months ago and started 34 matches as Arsenal ended a 22 year wait for the Premier League title. He has not started a single league match this season, with Myles Lewis-Skelly and the summer signing of Bruno Guimaraes pushing him down the pecking order.
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Speaking to Best Betting Sites, Smith said Zubimendi's lack of game time could work in Arsenal's favour if they are serious about Alvarez.
“Obviously he played a big part last season, but having been an ever present, he might be getting a bit restless not to be getting starts, just to be coming off the bench for a few minutes,” Smith said. “So that might be something that can be part of a bargaining chip for Arsenal. If you could do a part swap, then obviously you're not shelling out over 100 million pounds on Alvarez, because I'm sure Atletico would want something well in excess of that. So that might be a way forward.”
Smith also pointed to Alvarez's age and output as reasons he remains a sensible target for Arsenal, who were heavily linked with the Argentine over the summer. “Looking at his games this season, he's only got a couple of goals for Atletico. But he's 26 years old, he's got some good years ahead of him, and he's got plenty of energy. So to me, he still looks like the most suitable target for Arsenal.”
Smith questions Zubimendi's drop in minutes
The former Arsenal striker admitted he was unsure why Zubimendi has fallen so far out of favour under Mikel Arteta. “It's a strange one. I don't know what's happened, whether Arteta has decided he wants a different sort of midfielder,” Smith said. “Obviously, Lewis-Skelly's coming into the reckoning, and Guimaraes, who's a totally different player to Zubimendi, he's more dynamic, more likely to get you a goal.”
Zubimendi denies exit talk
Zubimendi has also been linked with a move to Chelsea, but he moved to shut down any suggestion he is looking to leave in an interview with Marca. “To be honest, I'm sometimes surprised by the press too,” he said. “I understand that the winter transfer window is approaching and rumors can surface, but I think we need to be a bit more careful with what we publish. Ultimately, everyone has a team they play for, and we need to respect that. I've also read that I might be close, but not at all. Often a news story comes out and it seems that if it doesn't come true, it's quickly forgotten and nothing happens. I'm learning how this world works and getting used to it, but sometimes I could avoid a lot of the messages I receive because of this kind of news.”
Whether Arsenal ultimately look to use Zubimendi as part of any move for Alvarez remains to be seen, but his words to Marca suggest he has no intention of pushing for an exit himself. Any transfer involving the midfielder would require Atletico's interest to firm up well beyond speculation before January business takes shape, as Metro reports.
