David Ornstein: Arsenal make £9.3m bid to sign surprise midfielder target

With Martin Zubimendi set to join the club, Arsenal are not done there. Thomas Partey now looks likely to leave and so the club want to sign another holding midfielder, given they are also losing Jorginho.

Reports breaking this morning indicate that Arsenal have launched a €11million (£9.3m) bid for Brentford’s Christian Norgaard, as Andrea Berta moves quickly to reinforce midfield options amid an ongoing rebuild in the middle of the park.

According to a report from The Athletic, the north London club are awaiting a response from Brentford, with the 31-year-old still under contract for two more years.

The Dane has been a key figure at Brentford since joining from Fiorentina in 2019, playing a pivotal role in their rise to the Premier League and subsequent stability in the top flight. With 192 appearances and 13 goals under his belt, Norgaard’s consistency and leadership have been crucial — and with manager Thomas Frank recently departing for Tottenham, the Bees may be more open to transition. They may find it tough to turn down such an amount for a player who will have no resale value.

Norgaard’s experience and tactical intelligence could offer Arsenal a short-term but reliable solution as they face a significant overhaul in midfield. Jorginho has already departed on a free to Flamengo, and Thomas Partey is expected to follow when his contract expires on June 30. Talks over an extension have stalled, and as things stand, the Ghanaian will leave the club next week.

We recently picked out Norgaard as one of five potential replacements for Thomas Partey, highlighting his value as a ball-winner with proven top-flight experience.

The Gunners are targeting a blend of experience and long-term upside. They are set to announce the signing of Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, after the Spain international completed a deal last week. At 26, Zubimendi is viewed as a long-term replacement in the No.6 role, but Norgaard could provide vital depth and Premier League-proven leadership alongside him.

Whether Brentford accept remains to be seen, but the Gunners are wasting no time preparing for life after Partey and Jorginho.

Stay updated with the latest Arsenal signings 2025 and follow more breaking transfer stories on Fresh Arsenal.