They may not be on the same level as Vieira and Petit, but Declan Rice and Martin Zvimendi have been at the heart of everything good about the Gunners this season, and there’s a lot to like about Arsenal’s modern midfield duo.
Although often perceived as Emirates’ weakness, especially in the later years of manager Arsene Wenger, the pairing of Rice and Zvimendi once again made the north London side a force to be reckoned with.
The pair will almost always be present in 2025/26, but in the long term that could become a bit unsustainable, with fringe Christian Norgaard the only truly defensive-minded replacement in the current ranks.
With rumors of a bold approach from Hviča Kvaratschelia heading into the summer, the priority may be on the left wing, but further midfield reinforcements also appear to be on the table.
Arsenal ready to hijack move to sign £100m midfield sensation
The signing of Zvimendi for £60m last summer, with prior interest from Liverpool, appeared to be the final piece of the puzzle as far as Mikel Arteta is concerned, even more so than Victor Goqueres, but the addition of the deep-rooted Spaniard now allows Rice to play more of a box-to-box, number eight role.
However, despite having a truly positive season, the former Real Sociedad man’s influence has waned in recent weeks, with a particularly disappointing performance in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
Zvimendi’s position is likely to be under threat if a summer signing goes ahead, as club legend Ian Wright suggested after the game that the 27-year-old simply “didn’t get his groove” as Arsenal struggled to keep possession.
Zubimendi – Carabao Cup Final | |
|---|---|
status | record |
minutes | 90 |
touch | 41 |
Pass accuracy | 70% |
key pass | 1 |
loss of ownership | 11 |
carry | 10 |
tackle | 0 |
Won a ground duel | 0/3 |
won an aerial battle | 4/5 |
dribbled past | 2 |
In fact, according to Caught Offside, the north Londoners are thought to be looking to sign Nottingham Forest sensation Elliott Anderson, with manager Andrea Berta feeling they have a chance to land the Englishman ahead of rivals Manchester City.
The Etihad side are currently thought to be the frontrunners, according to reports, but there is a good chance Arsenal are preparing some sort of takeover, with City yet to finalize a deal for the 23-year-old.
As for price, there are suggestions that the former Newcastle United starlet would command a fee in excess of £100m, on par with the £105m paid to Rice three years ago.
Why Anderson could be an upgrade over Zvimendi for Arsenal
Rice has long been a mainstay in England’s midfield since switching allegiance from the Republic of Ireland, appearing in four successive major competitions ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
He could become Rice 2.0: Arsenal begin contract talks with ‘future England captain’
Fresh off their defeat in the Carabao Cup final, Arsenal have begun negotiations to sign a Premier League star this summer.
For the past six years or so, the 27-year-old has lined up alongside midfield colleagues such as Kalvin Phillips at Euro 2020 and Koby Mainu at Euro 2024, but current evidence suggests Anderson could very well be his new long-term partner.
The Forest sensation became a star in the autumn under manager Thomas Tuchel and showed why he is attracting the attention of the Premier League’s elite clubs.
There is certainly an appealing perfection to his game, with the Geordie playmaker possessing such assets on the ball while also boasting the much-needed work ethic and physicality that made him the perfect modern midfielder.
In many ways, he is very similar to Arsenal’s number 41 in that respect, and former Wales and Liverpool striker Dean Saunders has previously made that comparison.
“His football brain is great. He has to add some goals to his game, but he can play in any position in midfield: number six, number eight, number 10.
“He’s like Declan Rice. He can do a little bit of everything.”
He is already considered to be a starter alongside Rice at the World Cup, but Anderson, who shined in a team that struggled this season, will not be able to replace him at club level next season.
It would not be far-fetched to suggest that the youngster, who provided two assists, created six ‘big chances’ and averaged 1.5 key passes per game in the 2025/26 Premier League, could be a further upgrade on Zvimendi, especially in a creative sense.
For comparison, although Zvimendi outperformed his Forest counterpart in terms of passing accuracy (88% vs. 86%), he only provided one assist, created just one big chance and averaged just 0.5 key passes.
There was only one winner outside of possession, with Anderson averaging 4 tackles and interceptions and 8.4 ball recoveries, bettering the same two metrics than the Basque-born maestro, who averaged 2.8 and 3.2 respectively.
Perhaps it’s because of Forest’s position in the relegation battle, but Anderson has shown he can thrive in more dominant teams, boasting an impressive 93% passing accuracy in five World Cup qualifying games late last year.
He can bring control and fight, as Rice already did at the Emirates, and has already beaten City for the latter’s contract, so why not do it again for his compatriot?
Berta in talks: Arsenal launch bid for next player Max Daumann
Arsenal, looking for another young star, have made an offer to sign the impressive young forward.
