Arsenal closing in on £25m star after Zubimendi

Arsenal’s summer season spending spree is seemingly set to start.

On Saturday morning, Fabrizio Romano reported that Martín Zubimendi “has now verbally agreed” to hitch Arsenal, claiming that the Gunners intend to set off his launch clause, which stands at €60m (£51m).

This deal has been within the pipeline for some time, with David Ornstein of The Athletic reporting again in January that they had been “pursuing a deal” to signal the Spanish worldwide, describing him as a “long-term goal”.

However, that is set to be simply the beginning of Mikel Arteta‘s mass summer season squad rebuild, so are the Gunners additionally near signing one other La Liga star, who’d be the membership’s greatest value-for-money signing since Jurriën Timber?

Newest on Arsenal’s switch search

In line with a report by Miguel Delaney of the Impartial, Arsenal are ‘near signing’ Espanyol goalkeeper Joan García.

As famous by James McNicholas and David Ornstein of The Athletic, Arsenal spent all of final summer season pursuing the 24-year-old, having “recognized” the Spaniard as the proper participant to offer competitors for his compatriot David Raya, however Espanyol had been unwilling to barter any decrease than his €30m (£25m) launch clause.

The dangerous information for Arsenal is that the Blanquiazules are on target to keep away from relegation, García’s launch clause would reportedly have dropped to only £12.6m had the Catalan membership completed within the backside three, however Tom Allnutt of the Instances nonetheless believes the Gunners plan to finalise this deal.

So, how will García enhance Arteta’s squad, and can he be their newest cut price signing?

Arsenal’s greatest value-for-money signings

Analyst Ben Mattinson labels García an “thrilling goalkeeper”, praising his “cross claiming” and “composure on the ball”.

Meantime, Sive Vishwa of Breaking the Traces describes him as “reliable and aggressive”, forecasting that he’ll turn out to be “the most effective goalkeepers” of his technology.

Thus, at simply £25m, García appears set to show an absolute cut price, however who’re a few of Arsenal’s greatest value-for-money signings of the Arteta-era?

Timber specifically stands out as a wonderful value-for-money signing, arriving from Ajax for simply £34m two summers in the past.

As outlined by Alex Howell of BBC Sport, the Dutchman is within the operating to be named Arsenal’s participant of the season, a exceptional achievement contemplating he performed simply 147 minutes throughout his first marketing campaign in North London, struggling an ACL rupture on the opening day of the season in opposition to Nottingham Forest.

So, will García show to be the Gunners’ newest cut price?

Effectively, for him to turn out to be that, he’ll have to play matches, and this would possibly not be simple contemplating present primary Raya has been “actually spectacular” in accordance with Arteta, so let’s evaluate the 2 Spanish shot-stoppers.

Because the desk outlines, García’s statistics this season do evaluate favourably to Raya, made all of the extra spectacular by the actual fact he’s taking part in for an Espanyol facet battling to keep away from relegation from La Liga, having been promoted by way of the Segunda División play-offs final June.

Raya’s statistics are superior in relation to excessive claims and passes accomplished, however García’s post-shot anticipated targets – targets allowed determine of +9.3, which means he is prevented over 9 extra targets than anticipated, is actually eye-catching.

Throughout Europe’s top-five leagues, of all 204 goalkeepers who’ve featured this season, García ranks sixth for this metric, behind solely Yehvann Diouf (Reims), Yahia Fofana (Angers), Vanja Milinković-Savić (Torino), Đorđe Petrović​​​​​​​ (Strasbourg) and Donovan Léon (Auxerre), with Raya down at 131st, in accordance with FBref.com.

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So, García will arrive in North London assured he can usurp his fellow Spaniard within the pecking order, suggesting he might show to be implausible worth for cash.

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