According to Daily Sports, Real Madrid has begun planning winter transfers to compensate for the lack of creativity in midfield, and Zubimendi from Arsenal has become a potential target.

Real Madrid is now paying the price for letting Rodri slip away. While their main league rivals are thriving with this top player, Real's midfield is struggling, as was evident in their recent match against Inter, where the team lacked a central midfielder of Barcelona's player's caliber.

Mourinho's team cannot control the tempo of play, instead relying on quick transitions for Vinicius, Mbappé, or Bellingham to finish attacks in the final third. However, opponents can win back possession and create scoring opportunities, with Courtois repeatedly having to bail out the team.

Real Madrid chose instead to focus on a more attacking player like Bernardo Silva, whom Barcelona rejected, while continuing to rely on Chlameni, Valverde, and Camavinga as midfield organizers, despite lacking Rodri's talent. Creativity remains an unfinished task for Mourinho's team. Güler or Ancelotti could serve as emergency solutions, but these options fall far short of what Barcelona's player could offer.

Therefore, Real Madrid has begun acting in the January transfer market. In this window, they can address their deficiencies with a name that emerged last summer: Zubimendi, which could present a market opportunity.

England has already highlighted this possibility, as the Basque midfielder has gradually lost his place in Arsenal's starting lineup. He came off the bench in all five official matches for the Gunners this season. Notably, in the decisive Champions League match against Naples, he was on the bench and played only 8 minutes.

Zubimendi has been sidelined since the end of last season. For example, in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, he was also on the bench, entering only in extra time. Although he has consistently demonstrated good form, Arteta prefers to use other players in this position, which may be affecting his morale.

Real Madrid highly values him and his performances for the Spanish national team. When Rodri suffered a serious injury, Zubimendi took on the role of midfielder for the Matadors. He did the same in decisive moments, such as the second half of the 2024 European Championship final or the extra time of the 2026 World Cup. He is a reliable player, and although Real Madrid hesitated in the summer, they can make a move now.

Arsenal paid 70 million euros for him last season and signed him until 2030. His current market value is roughly in line with that figure. Arsenal will recoup its investment, and this sum is not astronomical for Real Madrid. However, Zubimendi has other suitors, such as Chelsea, and Ancelotti had considered him for Real Madrid's team-building plans, but Florentino did not sign him.

In fact, Real Madrid has not completed its generational transition in midfield after Kroos's departure and Modric's move to Milan. These two players provided sophisticated attacking organization for the team, a quality that is now lost. Mourinho is trying to make the team resilient and compensate for midfield deficiencies with the pace of star forwards on the counterattack. This style of play may not be enough for them to compete on equal terms with Barcelona.

Переведено ИИ.

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