A stunning surprise: Atletico Madrid open the door to a swap deal with Arsenal

Diego Simeone hasn't given up on landing a marquee midfielder. The Argentine has earmarked Arsenal's Martín Zubimendi as a potential target for the winter window, hoping to capitalise on the Spaniard's reduced role in north London.

French outlet "Foot Mercato", citing "Radio Nacional de España" (RNE), report that Mateu Alemany still wants to strengthen the squad and views Zubimendi as an interesting option to beef up the engine room.

The former Real Sociedad man has slipped out of Arsenal's starting XI in recent weeks. That could make him open to a move in search of more minutes, with other clubs circling too, among them Real Madrid, who were tracking him until not long ago.

Simeone is a long-standing admirer. He sees Zubimendi as a serious upgrade in midfield and dreams of pairing him with Pablo Barrios, though sealing the deal won't be straightforward given the expected scramble from several European clubs.

The Spanish station also addressed the future of Julián Álvarez, a name linked with Arsenal last summer, raising the prospect of a move involving both players, whether as a joint transfer or even a swap.

For now, though, the idea of Zubimendi and Álvarez heading in opposite directions looks a long shot, however many surprises the market might throw up.