Basque brilliance arrives in North London as Martin Zubimendi seals dream Arsenal move. Arsenal Football Club has officially acquired the highly sought after Spanish midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, after a year of chasing him down, and making a very big statement for the next season. The 26-year-old Euro 2024 winner has signed a long-term contract joining Mikel Arteta’s engine room with world-class quality.
Fending Off Rivals and Fulfilling a Vision
Zubimendi’s signature was a hard fight. Liverpool made an obvious real attempt in the summer of 2024. They went as far as key parts of negotiations. But Zubimendi thought it wasn’t the right time to move onto a new club having just secured the European Championship. He wants his boyhood club and wanting to develop further here. Zubimendi also mentioned not wanting to rush a decision while in the middle of a tournament.
The paramount importance of Mikel Arteta in Arsenal’s journey could not lay hands on enough. Within the shared birthplace (San Sebastián) and the shared ideology of football for both men, Zubimendi thoroughly embraced Arteta’s structure and design-style into what Arsenal could be, describing Arteta like the ideal blend of what they did at Manchester City and any of the top clubs from the last 10-15 years. “I don’t know what he (Arteta) saw in me, I seen him as a one the best coaches in Europe at least” Zubimendi said of his new manager. The addition of Zubimendi would be nice for various reasons, including the presence of two more Spaniard connections and players he teammate with, Martin Odegaard and Merino.
What Zubimendi Brings to the Emirates
Zubimendi comes as a complete, intelligent, tactically astute holding midfielder, considered one of the top in the globe. He came through Real Sociedad’s celebrated Zubieta academy, and did justice to what the club stands for – making 236 senior appearances and leading the club on their rise to success – which included lifting a Copa del Rey in 2020 and helping secure a Champions League qualification spot in the 2022/23 campaign.
His playing style, based on what he could do on and off the ball, suits Arteta down to the ground. Zubimendi prefers to drop deep as the “cog” between the defence and midfield. Receiving the ball deep in midfield (where he is often under pressure) and using great technique and composure to help progress the play. He has a decent range of passing. He’s able to break lines and his positioning is instinctual. Therefore he can offer defensive security and the platform to start attacking sequences. He thrives in the high-risk, high-reward style of build-up play that Arteta’s system demands.
The Perfect Fit and Lofty Ambitions
Zubimendi himself highlighted the stylistic fit as a key reason for choosing Arsenal. “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”. Arteta echoed this sentiment, praising basque brilliance of Zubimendi’s “huge amount of quality and football intelligence,” stating he “has all the attributes to be a key player”.
Sporting Director Berta, completing the deal put into motion by his predecessors, proudly stated, “We have completed our key target for this summer transfer window & we have acquired the perfect identity fit for our squad.” Zubimendi will wear the number 36 shirt, comes to Arsenal to replace experienced midfielders Thomas Partey and Jorginho. But they bring in an impact player who is not just any status as a player. It is also designed to provide Arsenal a way to elevate the control and poise in their midfield. This will give them the best opportunity to challenge for the Premier League title this season. Moreover, it meant to end their five-year trophy drought to follow up on two consecutive second-place finishes. This also includes losing in the Champions League semis last year. For the ambitious Gunners, and the brilliance of Basque midfield player, a new chapter filled with possibilities have begun.
As featured on GoonerNews.com
