Arsenal have officially confirmed the signing of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi for a rumored fee of £55 million. This move aims to bolster Mikel Arteta’s midfield as the Gunners look to bridge the gap to Premier League defending champions Liverpool.
After months of speculation, Arsenal reportedly agreed to pay over the release clause in order to facilitate the deal in installments, rather than a single lump sum. This signing comes after the departures of midfielders Thomas Partey and Jorginho, necessitating a new solution for the club’s midfield.
Upon signing, Martin Zubimendi shared his enthusiasm: “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.” He added, “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.”
Both Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, and Andrea Berta, the new Sporting Director, expressed their satisfaction with the acquisition.
Mikel Arteta stated: “Martin is a player who will bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence to our team. He will fit in really wel,l and he has all the attributes to be a key player for us. The standard he has consistently performed at over the last few seasons for both club and country is exactly why we are so excited to have him with us. We all welcome Martin and his family to the club.”
Sporting Director, Andrea Berta, added: “We are so happy to bring Martin to Arsenal and have a lot of pride in finalising this transfer. Martin was a key target for us, and we all know that he is a perfect fit for our squad with the high quality he has. We welcome Martin and his family to the club. We look forward to him settling in with his teammates and are very excited to see him playing in an Arsenal shirt.”
Zubimendi was part of the Spanish squad that won the European Championships in 2024, as well as the Nations League in 2023, highlighting his recent successes on the international stage. He joins Arsenal following his former teammate, Michael Merino, with whom he plays for the Spanish National team. Zubimendi will wear the number 36 shirt for Arsenal.
Arsenal is reportedly looking to sign other players, with Viktor Gyokeres currently at the top of their list.
