Jermaine Jenas says he has ‘never been fully convinced’ about Martin Zubimendi and has urged Mikel Arteta to sign a replacement for the Arsenal midfielder this summer.
The Gunners beat Real Madrid to a £60m deal for Zubimendi last summer and were encouraged by the start he made after arriving at the Emirates Stadium.
Zubimendi looked set to be a key player in Arteta’s squad throughout the campaign but became less influential in the second-half of the season, slipping behind Myles Lewis-Skelly in the pecking order.
Jenas says Zubimendi is a ‘decent, solid player’ but has always had some reservations about the Spain Euro 2024 winner and believes Arsenal could improve in that area of the pitch.
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The new Premier League champions are interested in signing a new midfielder and Jenas insists Sandro Tonali would ‘definitely be a level up’ on Zubimendi.
Arsenal were linked with a move for Newcastle United’s Tonali in January and revived their interest ahead of the summer transfer window.
But the Gunners face major competition in the race to sign Tonali, with north London rivals Tottenham in talks with Newcastle over a deal.
Spurs’ opening £75m offer for the Italy international was rejected by Newcastle, who are believed to want around £85m to strike a deal.
Whether Arsenal would be willing to meet that figure remains to be seen but Jenas says Tonali would certainly strengthen the English champions.
‘I think Sandro Tonali is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, in my opinion,’ Jenas told 10bet. ‘He had his misdemeanour, came back, and I thought his attitude from that exact point onward has been brilliant.
‘He’s a dictator of a game; he sets the pace and sets the tone every time he plays. He did the same when he was at AC Milan.
‘When I look at that Arsenal midfield, I was never fully convinced by Martin Zubimendi, if I’m honest with you. I think he’s a decent, solid player, but Tonali would definitely be a level up in that midfield alongside Declan Rice.
‘Though I am a bit surprised that Arsenal’s focus isn’t more forward-thinking than that. I don’t think their midfield is terrible – you’ve got young Myles Lewis-Skelly who has the ability to step in there as well.
‘So Tonali is a great player, and it would be a good move, but I don’t think it’s exactly what they desperately need. I still think they need a proper, out-and-out striker and a specialist on that left wing.’
Turning his attentions to Arsenal’s pursuit of a new left-winger, Jenas talked up a sensational move for Manchester United outcast Marcus Rashford.
Rashford’s future is up in the air after Barcelona decided not to sign him on a permanent deal and instead sent him back to Manchester United.
‘I don’t think he should just go back to United to sit on the bench, and I don’t think Michael Carrick should automatically just force him back into the team either,’ Jenas said of the England World Cup star.
‘I just think there comes a point where you have to move on. Bringing Marcus Rashford back to the club – as good as he is – comes with complications.
‘Now, Carrick played with Marcus, so he might feel he can get a better tune out of him.
‘But at the same time, now that Marcus has experienced Barcelona, I think it’s probably a better move for him to leave England or find a fresh start.’
Asked whether Arsenal could sign Rashford, Jenas added: ‘I think they’re crying out for someone with his attributes on that left-hand side.’
Speaking after Arsenal became Premier League champions for the first time since 2004, Josh Kroenke confirmed the club were planning to back Arteta in the transfer market.
‘The business never stops,’ he said. ‘Right now there are already other teams who are trying to strengthen and come at us for next season.
‘We need to be aware of that. We’ve already had a few different conversations about different areas where we think we can improve on and off the pitch.’
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