Martin Zubimendi opens up on decision to join Arsenal

Zubimendi has officially joined Arsenal from Real Sociedad in a 51 million pound deal, signing a five-year contract at the Emirates Stadium. The transfer, agreed in March after Arsenal met the midfielder's 51 million pound release clause, marks a significant coup for the Gunners as they strengthen their midfield ahead of the new season.

Zubimendi's arrival was carefully planned by Arsenal, who identified him as their top midfield target as early as last year. With key midfielders Jorginho and Thomas Partey entering the final year of their contracts-and both eventually leaving - Arsenal knew they needed a long-term solution. The club's strategy involved signing Zubimendi's former Sociedad teammate, Mikel Merino, first in August 2024, then bringing in Zubimendi in 2025, a move designed to minimize disruption at Sociedad and ensure both players could transition smoothly.

Arsenal faced competition for Zubimendi's signature, with Real Madrid showing strong interest after appointing Xabi Alonso as manager, and Liverpool having pursued him last year. Despite this, Zubimendi turned down Liverpool and chose to wait for Arsenal, demonstrating his belief in the club's vision and style of play. His decision to stay at Sociedad for another season, helping Spain win Euro 2024, showed his careful career planning.

Central to convincing Zubimendi was Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who personally played a key role in persuading the midfielder to join the club now. Arteta's reputation and playing philosophy clearly appealed to Zubimendi, who sees Arsenal's style as a perfect match for his own game. The presence of Merino at the club also helped create a familiar environment that eased the transition.

Arteta expressed high confidence in Zubimendi's impact, stating: "Martin is a player who will bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence to our team. He will fit in really well and he has all the attributes to be a key player for us." He praised Zubimendi's consistent performances at club and international level as a major reason for Arsenal's excitement.

Zubimendi himself said: "This is a huge moment in my career. It's the move I was looking for and one I wanted to make. As soon as you set foot here, you realise how big this club and this team are. I set my sights on Arsenal because their style of play is a good fit for me. They have shown their potential recently and the best is yet to come."

Arsenal's sporting director Andrea Berta emphasized the importance of securing Zubimendi, calling him a "perfect fit" for the squad and expressing pride in completing the transfer.

Zubimendi, who spent his entire career at Real Sociedad making over 230 appearances, will wear the number 36 shirt and link up with his new teammates ahead of pre-season preparations, ready to play a pivotal role in Arsenal's midfield rebuilding and future ambitions.