The squad that Mikel Arteta took over in December 2019 is a far cry from the Arsenal of today.

In addition to overseeing drastic changes to the team and first team, the former captain of the Gunners has completely transformed the club’s mindset.

Even yet, in his five years as manager, the Spaniard has replaced the players he brought in earlier, with players like Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko now firmly behind Riccardo Calafiori and Kai Havertz in the hierarchy.

This ability to improve on his own decisions and admit when his signings can be upgraded has helped Arteta keep the team fresh and ever-evolving, and based on recent reports, he could do the same with Thomas Partey in 2025.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are one of three Premier League clubs interested in Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, with Arteta particularly keen on the player.

In addition to the Gunners, the midfield player is reportedly being watched by Manchester City and Liverpool, who are ‘counting his days in the Spanish first league.’

The good news is that signing the 25-year-old won’t cost the North Londoners a fortune, even though this additional competition is far from ideal. The report confirms that the player’s release clause is €60 million, or roughly £50 million.

While it could be a tricky transfer to get over the line, and there are still questions over his desire to leave Spain, it’s a deal worth pursuing, even if it could be bad news for Partey’s chance of a new deal.

How Zubimendi compares to Partey

Let’s assume that Arsenal is successful in persuading Zubimendi to visit the Emirates for the upcoming campaign. Because the Spaniard can play in both central and defensive midfield, he would almost likely be viewed as an upgrade, which might lead to Partey leaving the team in the summer without receiving a new contract offer.

But is that totally fair? What is the difference between the two internationals? Even though the former Atletico Madrid player has looked rather spectacular for the Gunners this season, when we compare the two teams’ underlying metrics, things don’t look particularly good for him.

For instance, the Ghanaian international ranks second in most metrics, including non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, shots on target, key passes, shot-creating actions, blocks, errors leading to a shot, successful take-ons, ball recoveries, and aerial duels won, even though he leads in some metrics like tackles and interceptions.