2) Martin Zubimendi
Martin Zubimendi is the same age as Declan Rice (24 years old” and has a release clause which is around about half the price it’ll cost to sign Rice (£52m release clause).
This is what makes Zubimendi an attractive prospect to Mikel Arteta and indeed the Arsenal board who always seek the best bang for their buck.
Zubimendi has been likened to the Premier League legend Xabi Alonso – a player who Arsenal certainly won’t mind their transfer targets being compared to. This is due, not only to being coached by Alonso for the Real Sociedad B team, but due to Zubimendi’s immense ability to retain the tempo by picking up the ball deep in midfield and having an excellent range of passing which enables playing out from the back.
Playing from the back is a key component to Mikel Arteta’s game, so signing Zubimendi is a viable option should they wish to pull out of the race for Rice for any reason.