Martin Zubimendi has landed in London, the United Kingdom, to complete his long-anticipated transfer from Real Sociedad to Arsenal, bringing an end to a saga that has been developing behind the scenes for several months.
The Spanish midfielder, fresh off a Euro 2024 triumph, has been on Arsenal’s radar since January, when it emerged that Mikel Arteta’s side were in the lead to secure his services in a £51 million deal.
At one point last season, Zubimendi seemed set to join Liverpool and could have even featured against Arsenal.
However, he made a late U-turn, opting to spend another campaign in San Sebastian. Now, at 26, he’s ready to make the leap to the Premier League.
According to The Athletic, the midfield anchor has touched down in the UK to “complete the formalities” of his move to the Emirates Stadium.
His arrival will mark the first signing of Arsenal’s summer and potentially the opening act of the Andrea Berta era in North London.
A medical is scheduled before Zubimendi signs a long-term contract with the Gunners.
While there were whispers of a last-minute hijack attempt from Real Madrid, fueled by new manager Xabi Alonso’s admiration for the Spaniard, Arsenal remained confident.
“Done,” is how insiders reportedly described the deal, crediting Arteta’s relentless push as a key factor in sealing the move.
Zubimendi departs Real Sociedad with 10 goals and nine assists in 236 matches, although his true value lies in his passing precision and positional intelligence.
Last season, he made 48 appearances for his boyhood club and featured four times for Spain at Euro 2024, stepping in for the injured Rodri during the final win over England.
At Arsenal, the plan is for Zubimendi to take over the number six role, previously held by Thomas Partey, who has anchored the midfield superbly over the last three years.
However, Partey’s future appears uncertain, with no progress reported in contract extension talks. His current deal runs out on June 30.
Jorginho’s exit has already been confirmed, and if Partey follows suit, Zubimendi may find himself short on support in defensive midfield.
This situation might prompt Arsenal to bring in another addition before the window closes.
In the meantime, Arteta has a few internal options. He could test academy product Myles Lewis-Skelly, experiment with Ben White in midfield, or shift Declan Rice back into the deeper role and start Mikel Merino as the left-sided number eight.
Yet moving Rice further back may not be ideal, considering how effective he has been in advanced positions.
For now, Berta has another key decision to make as Arsenal continue to reshape their midfield core.