Arsenal midfield transfer targets – ranked

Arsenal’s attention in the summer transfer window is set to turn to midfield following the completion of the signing of Riccardo Calafiori.

When it became clear that striker Benjamin Sesko would not be joining the north London side, many suspected that Arsenal would devote the bulk of their summer resources to acquiring a promising midfielder.

After back-to-back runners-up finishes in the Premier League, 2024/25 is a massive season for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners. Expectations are sky-high and this could be Arteta’s final chance to displace Pep Guardiola before his mentor takes off and seemingly takes on a head coaching role in the NBA.

Despite being at such an early stage in Arteta’s managerial career, the upcoming campaign is one that defines the Spaniard’s legacy. The task of usurping Manchester City at the top is far from straightforward, and they need to nail their recruitment spot this summer if the club are to achieve their ultimate goal.

Here’s how we rank Arsenal’s current midfield transfer targets based on who we think they should sign.

Dani Olmo is said to have reached a gentleman’s agreement with RB Leipzig to leave the German club this summer and, although the ties are quite tenuous, Arsenal are said to be interested in the player, as are Barcelona, ​​Bayern Munich and Manchester United.

He is a needle player who excels at combining in and around the opposition box. Olmo is excellent between the lines and is a sharp shooter in front of goal. The Spaniard could add another dimension to this Arsenal side operating in tandem with Martin Odegaard.

However, given Arteta’s focus on security, it seems unlikely that Arteta will utilise Olmo in this way. This is a very aggressive midfield setup that could potentially leave Declan Rice on an island in a holding role.

Olmo is a divine footballer, but would likely play in a false nine role if he ended up in the red side of north London. He is not the midfield profile that Arsenal are looking for.

Mikel Merino looks to be the most likely midfield arrival for the Gunners this summer, and 90 minutes understands that they will speed up negotiations for him in the coming days.

The Spaniard is entering the final year of his contract with Real Sociedad and is available for a bargain price this summer, having emerged as one of La Liga’s most consistent midfielders since returning to Spain.

He is an imposing figure who excels in the air. Last season, Merino ranked in the 99th percentile among all midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for aerial duels won per 90 minutes (5.99). Arteta loves height, and Merino’s aerial prowess would help Arsenal’s ability in both areas.

A clean, technical player on the ball in every respect, Merino can fill the role that Granit Xhaka dominated in 2022/23. The Spaniard can also break into the box, and his impressive physical profile means there should be no concerns about him being overworked in the Premier League, especially after previously playing for Newcastle United.

It’s not the most inspiring move, but it can be very clever.

Merino is capable of dropping back into a midfield role, but Martin Zubimendi is certainly the ideal target if Arsenal are looking to sign a number six to free up Declan Rice and let him play further forward.

England fans celebrated early in the second half when it was revealed that Rodri had been forced off with an injury, but his replacement Zubimendi produced a spectacular second-half performance to help Spain claim Euro 2024 glory.

A metronomic player at the base of Real Sociedad’s midfield, Zubimendi is your archetypal Spanish midfielder. He can control, hold and dictate; boasting enough dynamism to contribute higher up the pitch too. His resistance to pressing allows him to shine in the build-up phase and, despite being quite diminutive, Zubimendi is an impressive duelist who reads the game well from the base of midfield.

However, snatching him away from San Sebastian will not be an easy task. He loves Real Sociedad and has previously spoken of his desire to work with Xabi Alonso again.

Rodri may have won the Player of the Tournament award at Euro 2024, but Fabian Ruiz was the real hero in Spain’s midfield.

Having built a stellar reputation at Napoli, his PSG career has been fairly subdued so far. Although he has benefited from the arrival of Luis Enrique as manager last season and an upturn in 2023/24 carried over into the summer, where he has excelled for the European champions.

Fabian is a master in possession. A skilled operator who plays the game at his own pace. In the final he demonstrated his ability to overpower through sheer technical mastery, but he has already shown throughout the tournament his threat in and around the box. Fabian penetrates the inside left channel efficiently to create, combine and score.

The Spaniard is the complete midfielder and would be the needle-mover in the middle of the park that Arsenal need to usurp City. Rather than targeting Merino’s specific profile, the Gunners should go all-in on Fabian.