Arsenal are moving closer to completing a deal for Martin Zubimendi as they look to kick off a pivotal summer transfer window. With expectations growing around Mikel Arteta’s team, the Gunners appear set to make significant changes to strengthen their squad and prepare for another Premier League title challenge.
A Statement of Intent Early in the Window
This summer is crucial for Arsenal, with the team narrowly missing out on major silverware over the past few seasons. Strengthening the midfield has been a priority, and Zubimendi has consistently featured near the top of their list of targets. The Spanish midfielder has impressed at Real Sociedad and has been attracting attention from several elite European clubs.
Arsenal have admired him since the January window but chose to wait until the end of the season before pushing forward with negotiations. Now, it appears that strategy is paying off. According to the BBC, all necessary documents have been signed, and the move is close to completion. Zubimendi is expected to undergo his medical in the coming days, clearing the way for his official unveiling.
Completing the deal before the end of the month would be a major statement from Arsenal, signalling their ambition and allowing them to shift focus towards other targets. The early capture of a high-profile player would also send a strong message to rivals and help with squad cohesion ahead of pre-season preparations.
Zubimendi Brings Balance and Composure
Zubimendi has developed into a composed and reliable midfielder, capable of dictating the tempo of play and providing defensive cover. His performances at Real Sociedad have been a key reason for the club’s recent success in La Liga and European competitions. At just twenty-six years of age, he combines experience with potential and fits well into the profile of players Arsenal have targeted under Arteta’s leadership.
The Gunners’ midfield already features talented individuals such as Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, and the addition of Zubimendi could provide the balance and depth needed to sustain a campaign across multiple competitions.
As Arsenal continue to build a squad capable of winning major trophies, securing Zubimendi’s signature early could prove to be one of their smartest moves of the summer.
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I hope I am wrong but what I have seen of him, I think he will struggle in the prem. We will see. I do think he gives us more than an aging Joughino but nothing more. I hope he proves his worth.
Reggie
I feel that we need more pace in midfield, Zubimendi does not bring that. My biggest concern with him is
Does Zubimendi signal a change in tactics or setup, how we play?
Or will he merely reinforce the Artetaball we see every week? Slow, insipid, buildup rife with endless sideways and back passes?
At this point, with the talent we have and money spent, I think the issue is more the tactics than personnel.
2nd place three seasons in a row, in spite of half dozen new players and money spent. New players in same Artetaball system yielding the same results. Change needed in tactics at this point, more so than players in my opinion.
Zubimendi may not be physically pacy but he’s fast in thought which makes him move the ball much faster than most players. He can see a pass before he executes it. In this sense he’s a bit like Xhaka and Jorginho.
Part of the reason for our slow build up is that Partey sometimes takes too many touches and Rice isn’t that great at turning under pressure to find the next pass. The result is that the opposition have all the time in the world to get back into defensive positions forcing to go side ways. Zubimendi has this ability to find people quickly. It helps that he can play with both right and left feet.
When it comes to moving the ball forward fast, I’ve always found that the speed of thought counts more than physical speed. It’s no wonder that some of the best deep lying play makers have not always been known for being pacy. Think of Kroos, Pirlo , Jorginho ,Frenkie De Jong, Busquets and even Rodri to an extent.
Fabrizio Romano already said “here we go”. Welcome Zubimendi.
A very good player who is always “available” when we have possession and ,despite his lack of physical attributes, is surprisingly able defensively.More like Jorjinho than Partey ,but i can see why Arteta sees him as a very cultured addition in central midfield.While he would not have been my first choice,i think he will fit in well next season,and i wish him well.
He’s a replacement for Partey.
One of the reasons I’m excited about this signing is because he fixes the issue of tempo for us. Zubimendi should help us move the ball faster. This is something neither Partey nor Rice are elite at and partly explains our slow build up.In addition, he can slow down the tempo of a game when we just need to hold on to the ball and take the sting out of it.
Another knock on effect of having Zubimendi is that Odegaard won’t have to drop deep into midfield to help with build up. He can now stay further forward and focus on creativity and scoring.