Chelsea suffered a surprise defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in last Saturday’s London Derby. The loss was their third in the Premier League this season and though they remain fifth in the standings, there are some clearly visible tactical shortcomings.
Xabi Alonso’s side has been physically outplayed and outnumbered in midfield in all of its winless matches so far in the campaign, and failure to replace Enzo Fernandez has worked against the Blues, who need to bring in a midfielder sooner rather than later.
El Nacional has reported that Chelsea are interested in signing Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi. Alonso was keen on bringing in the former Real Sociedad star to Real Madrid as well last year, before the Gunners acquired his services.
Bruno Guimaraes’ signing coupled with Myles Lewis-Skelly’s utility in midfield have affected the Spanish international’s game time at the Emirates Stadium this year, which might compel him to consider his options in 2027 to play more regularly.
Solid signing for Chelsea
Martin Zubimendi was a key fixture in the Arsenal side last year as they won the Premier League and despite losing his place in their regular playing eleven, he would be a terrific addition to the Chelsea squad in 2027.
He offers superb utility in a double pivot. Without the ball, he has a strong work-rate and physically dominates the opposition, whereas in possession, he helps dictate tempo in tight spaces, resists pressure well and plays intelligent forward passes.
Zubimendi would be the ideal fit in the Chelsea double pivot alongside Moises Caicedo, and it will be interesting to see how much his asking price is. The 27-year-old is valued at £55 million on Transfermarkt.
Whether Chelsea are planning on signing him in January or are ready to wait until next summer remains to be seen, but it’s fair to think Mikel Arteta would want to hold onto Zubimendi at least for the remainder of this season as he is a key fixture for Arsenal as far as squad depth is concerned.
Other News
