Sometimes the jokes about Arsenal write themselves a little bit too easily. Need another attacker desperately in January? Sign an expensive midfielder instead. That sort of thing.

However, after reports surfaced that suggest Arsenal have beaten Liverpool and Real Madrid to reaching an agreement with Martin Zubimendi, it makes more sense than it might initially seem. Yes, a new forward is also required in order to bolster Mikel Arteta's hopes for the second half of the season, but future-proofing is also smart.

Zubimendi, for example, has not come out of nowhere. He was heavily courted by Arsenal over the summer before it looked like he was on his way to Anfield. Then there is the matter of Thomas Partey and Jorginho.

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Both players are out of contract in six months and as they move well beyond their peak years it is not clear just how much, if any, movement towards even a short-term extension will be made. It is the Willian paradox and Arsenal will be keen not to have a repeat of that situation, especially with Leandro Trossard coming towards the same point himself but with 12 months more to play with.

Given that Mikel Merino hasn't exactly hit the ground running - although he is proving useful - and Martin Odegaard is carrying a heavy creative burden on an ankle still looking to be recovering from his previous injury, losing two senior players in the centre of the park is far from ideal. Zubimendi, then, quickly looks like a shrewd piece of business.

His profile is already elevated from being highly rated in 2024 to being a standout name to watch at the European Championship. There is nothing he has done since to suggest that the £51million release clause isn't worth paying.

Arsenal, it seems, have come to the same conclusion. How, though, does Arteta fit it all together once Zubimendi arrives, if, indeed, he does?

Arsenal dream midfield with Martin Zubimendi

Declan Rice - There should be no surprise that with Zubimendi in and the possibility (or rather, probability) that at least one of Partey and Jorginho leave, Rice takes up a key position in midfield. The £105million man will be tasked with carrying out plenty of the physical tasks but could also be freed up.

Zubimendi is much more of a pivot and a No.6 possession-master than Rice, who likes to drive forward on the ball. The pair could certainly operate deeper together, offering different ways to progress the play, but it would be no shock if Rice actually found himself in the left-sided midfield slot more often, carrying play at his feet and crashing the box more often.

Martin Zubimendi - The man of the hour himself. He is a passing demon, someone to dictate from his own half. Zubimendi is also tenacious in the tackle and can be seen as a more adventurous, quicker version of Jorginho.

That is perhaps not quite the compliment it seems. Zubimendi has it all in his locker to offer Arsenal control and plenty more whilst also not being a passenger when defending. He is comfortable on the turn, when bouncing passes to his centre-backs, and at creating angles.

Martin Odegaard - Whether this comes as the right-sided No.8 in Arteta's 4-3-3 or more as a No.10 in the 4-2-3-1 shape with a double pivot, Odegaard is going to be the most advanced of the midfielders and will naturally drift to Bukayo Saka's side, whether he is playing or not. This doesn't really change with Zubimendi.

What this does mean, though, is that summer signing - and Zubimendi's former Real Sociedad teammate - Merino is out of the side. He is very much a strong rotation option, though, and with Myles Lewis-Skelley and Ethan Nwaneri, Arsenal also have two of the most promising young players available to add to this selection.