ARSENAL are on the brink of starting their summer splurge with a £50million deal for Martin Zubimendi.
But what will the Real Sociedad and Spain midfielder bring to Mikel Arteta’s side? Spanish-based journalist Andy West runs the rule over the 26-year-old.
Dynamic, composed, aggressive… it’s long been inevitable Zubimendi’s qualities would lead him to Europe’s elite.
When a young Zubimendi progressed from Real Sociedad’s youth ranks to become a first-team regular five years ago, he was quickly touted as a target for Barcelona to replace the fading Sergio Busquets.
That never materialised, mainly because of Barca’s well-documented financial problems, but the comparison is largely accurate.
Zubimendi occupies the same terrain as Busquets at the base of midfield, protecting the back four and smoothly linking defence with attack.
He is also press-resistant, capable of receiving and calmly retaining possession in tight spaces.
But Zubimendi is physically more explosive than Busquets, able to evade pressure by driving with the ball into space.
Zubimendi is an effective and efficient performer rather than flashy — much of his best work unfussily executed off the ball.
He reads the game superbly, always popping up in the right place to receive possession from a team-mate or disrupt the opposition’s rhythm. That includes game management.
A central aspect of Real Sociedad’s approach is preventing counter-attacks by physically pressing the first phase of possession, using fouls if necessary.
Zubimendi’s 47 career yellow cards — but no reds — show he is not averse to controlled aggression.
More tellingly — just 11 goals and eight assists in nearly 250 appearances makes it clear Zubimendi is not a major presence in the opposition final third. That is not his game.
Rather than chasing personal glory, Zubimendi makes his team better through positional discipline, distributing simply but quickly, and denying the opposition space.
If there is one concern about the long-awaited move to Arsenal, it is whether he can adapt to a new team in a new league.
Growing up in San Sebastian and joining his local club aged 12, Real Sociedad is all he has ever known.
The Basques boast one of football’s best youth systems, with a clearly- defined style throughout the age groups allowing local talents to enjoy a seamless transition to senior football.
Dynamic, composed, aggressive… it’s long been inevitable Zubimendi’s qualities would lead him to Europe’s elite.
Away from that comfort zone, Zubimendi has rarely been so effective for his country.
Since his Spain debut in 2021 he has struggled to become a regular, mostly deputising for Manchester City’s Rodri with just one start at last summer’s triumphant Euros.
Can Zubimendi thrive when he leaves the familiarity of his boyhood club?
Surely no coach could be better placed to help the transition than Arteta, his fellow San Sebastian native.
The Arsenal boss knows exactly what he is getting, with the presence of former team-mate Mikel Merino another help.
At 26, Zubimendi is in his prime. The step-up to a major title candidate like Arsenal has been brewing for years.
As long he is expected to knit the team together rather than win games single-handedly, everything points towards Zubimendi quickly becoming a key piece for Arteta’s Arsenal.
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