Arsenal will reportedly turn to 21-year-old Atletico Madrid prospect Pablo Barrios if they fail to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Graeme Bailey on TBR Football, Pablo Barrios is the subject of interest from Arsenal. The Gunners are scouring the market for a midfielder heading into the summer transfer window, with Martin Zubimendi their top target. However, they are keeping their options open, with the Atletico Madrid prospect being the top alternative to Zubimendi.
The rapid rise of Pablo Barrios
Pablo Barrios has established himself as one of the best young prospects in La Liga since breaking into the first-team squad at Atletico Madrid. A native of Madrid, he spent a lot of his formative years with Real Madrid before joining Atletico Madrid in July 2017.
The 21-year-old progressed through the ranks at Atletico Madrid before breaking into the first-team squad at Estadio Metropolitano in the early days of the 2022/23 season. Since then, Barrios has not looked back, becoming a regular in the middle of the park for Los Rojiblancos. The youngster has turned out nearly 100 times thus far for the Colchoneros while chipping in with three goals and five assists.
The Spanish midfielder was recently a part of the squad that won the gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Meanwhile, Barrios’s progress at Atletico Madrid has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe. Arsenal might be on the prospective suitors vying for his signature in the summer transfer window.
London calling
Arsenal’s interest in Pablo Barrios is understandable. The Gunners are scouring the market for a midfielder heading into the summer transfer window amid uncertainties surrounding the long-term futures of Thomas Partey and Jorginho. Both veteran midfielders have entered the final six months of their contracts, and they will likely leave Arsenal as free agents.
So, Martin Zubimendi has emerged as the top target for the North London club, with recent reports claiming a deal is close. However, the Gunners are keeping their options open as they do not want to lose out on signing a top midfielder in the summer transfer window. So, Barrios has emerged as an alternative to his compatriot.
The 21-year-old Spaniard has similar stats to Declan Rice, averaging 1.5 tackles per game, as many as Rice this season. So, it will be interesting to see if the Olympics 2024 gold medalist becomes the top target for Arsenal in the coming months, although they would prefer to secure Zubimendi’s signature.
