Chelsea are preparing to kick off their Premier League season against Fulham in two weeks, but uncertainty continues to hang over the club’s midfield department.
Enzo Fernandez expressed a desire to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of last season, and no new suitor has emerged despite the transfer window remaining open.
The Argentine international’s potential departure leaves Chelsea with a notable gap in the engine room heading into the new campaign under Xabi Alonso.
According to a report from Mundo Deportivo, Chelsea are showing genuine interest in signing Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi this summer transfer window.
Zubimendi could be made available for a transfer after Arsenal acquired Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United, potentially displacing the Spaniard from his role in the squad.
Xabi Alonso is said to be especially insistent on securing Zubimendi’s signature, having previously requested Real Madrid to bring the midfielder to the club last summer.
The 24-year-old arrives with significant momentum, coming off the back of a World Cup win with Spain and carrying a valuation of £64 million.
Chelsea’s need for midfield reinforcement has grown more pressing following the sale of Andrey Santos to Manchester United, while Romeo Lavia’s fitness record remains a persistent concern.
Zubimendi was a key figure in Arsenal’s title-winning campaign last season, playing a deeper-lying role alongside Declan Rice with his press resistance, forward passing, and line-breaking vision proving crucial.
Defensively, he is considered strong aerially and dependable in man-marking situations, qualities that would suit Alonso’s expected pressing system at Chelsea without the ball.
Arsenal signed Zubimendi only last year, and while the Gunners may be open to a sale following the arrival of Guimaraes, the former Real Sociedad man may have reservations about another swift move.
One significant complication is Chelsea’s absence from next season’s Champions League, which could make the transfer a difficult sell to a player of Zubimendi’s ambition and standing.