Arsenal: Arteta reaches decision on selling Hincapie, Zubimendi to Barcelona in Januay
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has made a decision on selling Barcelona transfer targets Piero Hincapie and Martin Zubimendi in January, according to reports.
The Gunners have been in brilliant form once again this campaign with Arteta’s men sat top of the Premier League table after beating Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield over the weekend.
It was their first win at Anfield since 2012 and once again cemented their Premier League title credentials after winning the title last term.
Ezri Konsa could soon find himself out of the Arsenal team, despite his solid displays so far this term, as William Saliba comes back to fitness.
And other players already find themselves out of Arteta’s starting XI with Martin Zubimendi and Piero Hincapie spending the majority of the season on the sidelines.
Neither player has started a Premier League match this season with Bruno Guimaraes ahead of Zubimendi and Riccardo Calafiori in front of Hincapie.
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Barcelona have been linked with both players, while Real Madrid are understood to be interested in Zubimendi ahead of the January transfer window.
ActualiteBarça (via Sport) has revealed that Barcelona have already opened talks over a potential deal to sign Hincapie in the next market.
It is understood that the Catalan giants’ sporting director Deco ‘has already made initial contact with the player’s representatives to gauge his willingness to leave and explore the possibility of a transfer during the winter window.’
Arteta is reluctant to close Arsenal duo
The report adds: ‘The operation, in any case, would not be easy. Arteta, despite not currently considering Hincapié a regular starter, is very reluctant to part ways with players in January. The Arsenal manager understands that there are still many matches to be played and does not want to reduce the options in a squad that must compete in several competitions.’
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Another publication, Mundo Deportivo, touches on interest from Spain in their latest report with the Spanish newspaper insisting Arteta also wants to keep Zubimendi to maintain strength and depth.
The report claims: ‘Arteta is reluctant to let him go. He made that clear in the final days of the transfer window, when the growing number of midfielders began to raise doubts about how the manager would fit them all in.
‘Arteta has experienced firsthand how difficult it is to lose two league titles due to player injuries. In the last two years, he has tried to strengthen the squad as much as possible to protect against physical problems like those suffered by William Saliba this season.’
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