Arsenal’s sporting director Andrea Berta wanted to sign a different No.6 instead of Martin Zubimendi in the summer window, according to reports.
The Gunners splashed out £60m to recruit Zubimendi from Spanish club Real Sociedad in July – but things could’ve turned out very differently.
According to The Athletic, the framework of Arsenal’s deal for the defensive midfielder was agreed before Berta started his role last year.
The outlet adds that if Berta had ‘been in situ earlier’, there were ‘other candidates’ for the No.6 role that the Arsenal sporting director favoured.
It is unclear exactly which alternative No.6 Berta would’ve liked to have signed – but Arsenal were linked to a number of defensive midfielders before the Zubimendi transfer was announced.
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Multiple outlets claimed that Atletico Madrid’s Pablo Barrios was a potential option for the Gunners instead of Zubimendi.
Sevilla’s Lucien Agoume was also reported to be on Arsenal’s list of candidates.
Arsenal were believed to be among the clubs interested in deal for Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton too – who can operate in the No.6 role.
Zubimendi has started all three of Arsenal’s Premier League games so far this season, helping the club beat Manchester United and Leeds United before Sunday’s defeat to Liverpool.
Former Arsenal star concerned over Zubimendi
Former Arsenal midfielder Stewart Robson is concerned that his old club may have overpaid for Zubimendi – and fears the 26-year-old may not possess the range of passing to help break down stubborn defences.
‘He’s not dynamic,’ Robson told ESPN. ‘He plays the holding role and he’ll keep the ball quite nicely, but I’ve done commentary on La Liga and I’ll have a little joke about how many times he’s going to pass it forward.
‘He hardly ever passes it forward – there’s no penetrative or goalscoring passes, he just keeps the thing flowing.
‘There are lots of players who can do that, and you’re paying a lot of money for a player who can just keep things moving along.’
‘Arteta stole Zubimendi from Liverpool!’
Jamie Carragher accused Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta of sabotaging Liverpool’s transfer deal for Zubimendi last month.
‘I’m convinced now that Mikel Arteta definitely stole him from Liverpool,’ Carragher said on the Stick to Football podcast. ‘He had agreed to come to Liverpool.
‘He said he was coming – and at the last minute he said, ‘I don’t want to come, I’ll have another year [at Sociedad]’ – Mikel Arteta’s from the Basque area… There’s no doubt he’s been into him and said, ‘We’re signing [Mikel] Merino this season, we’ll come for you next season’.’
