Mikel Arteta has wasted little time improving his Arsenal side in their quest to go one better in the Premier League in 2025/26. Despite ongoing calls for the club to bring a striker through the door, the Gunners have instead opted to replace two midfielders who’ve allowed their contracts to run down.
The losses of Jorginho and Thomas Partey will leave gaps in the midfield for the North London club. But it seems they’ve already made swift moves to fill those holes. Reports suggest that the transfers of Martin Zubimendi and Christian Nørgaard are nearing completion.
But, how do the new players compare to the stars that they are replacing?
Partey Departure Left Gunners Light
In truth, Jorginho’s departure didn’t come as much of a surprise to Arsenal fans. The 33-year-old was used sparingly by Arteta throughout the Premier League season.
However, the Italian’s ability to control a game and dictate the ball in the middle of the park was a key factor for the Gunners in seeing out games in 2024/25. He averaged an 86.9% pass completion rate with an average of 31.5 passes per 90 minutes.
What Thomas Partey did in this clip, there’s no player in the premier league who can do that
Absolutely incredible
pic.twitter.com/5qpy3i97Vf— 🐙 (@parteysznx) July 4, 2025
Thomas Partey’s decision to leave the club this Summer meant that Arsenal needed to move for a midfielder in the transfer window. The 32-year-old was a mainstay in the team throughout last season, making 31 appearances. He would dominate the game in the middle of the park and enabled star players to get on the ball and make things happen.
His inclusion in the team also freed up Declan Rice to make lung-busting runs into the final third, which was a trademark of Arsenal’s run in the Champions League. Partey’s strong defensive qualities were reflected by his stats found at WhoScored, indicating that he made an average of 2.5 tackles, one interception, and 1.3 fouls per game.
Nørgaard an Astute Addition
Eyebrows were raised when it was reported that Arsenal were nearing the signing of Christian Nørgaard from Brentford for a low fee of £15 million, including bonuses. However, the business could be astute by the Gunners, as they will be bringing in a proven Premier League performer and addressing the departure of Partey in the process.
Nørgaard’s all-battling style of play ensures he’s a perfect replacement for the Ghanian, with no Premier League player accumulating more interceptions than the Dane since 2021.
Arsenal have agreed to a deal to sign midfielder Christian Nørgaard from Brentford, per @FabrizioRomano 🇳🇴 pic.twitter.com/T65oAdnpd1
— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 25, 2025
Christian Nørgaard is also classed as the second-best overall for ball recoveries and third for tackles won. In comparison to Partey, he ranks better in terms of possession won and tackles. However, his stats are slightly inferior in categories such as passing accuracy and successful long passes, according to Opta (via BBC).
Zubimendi A Statement Signing
A signing that could be potentially style-defining for Arsenal moving forward is the addition of Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi. Liverpool spent their last Summer chasing the Spanish international, before being rebuffed in their pursuit.
However, the Gunners appear to be the biggest beneficiaries after a deal worth £55 million has been agreed on, according to Football.London. Zubimendi has been one of the most dynamic midfielders on the international stage since making his breakthrough in La Liga. He played a starring role in Spain’s EURO 2024 success last season in Germany.
🚨 Arsenal are NOT planning to announce Martin Zubimendi today due to events yesterday. [@Teamnewsandtix] pic.twitter.com/M9VHVHgUMJ
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) July 4, 2025
His combative style of play will complement Rice well in the middle of the park. Both are as capable in defensive areas as they are in getting the ball up the field. Martin Zubimendi’s stats in 2024/25 indicate why the Gunners were willing to pay his transfer fee.
The Spaniard reached an average of two tackles per game and accumulated 1.2 interceptions and 2.1 clearances. His ability to progress the ball will enable Rice to move further up the field, as Zubimendi averaged a pass completion rate of 84.4% from a stat of 48.7 passes per 90.
While these two signings may cause initial shock, it’s clear to see that Arsenal needed to replace Jorginho and Partey. However, a striker is a must before the deadline if the Gunners are to mount a serious Premier League title challenge in 2025/26.
