Arsenal have officially announced the signing of Spain international Martín Zubimendi from Real Sociedad on a five-year contract, in a move seen as a key part of the club’s midfield rebuild.
The 26-year-old midfielder, long admired by manager Mikel Arteta, joins the North London side after Arsenal activated a deal worth slightly above his £51 million release clause.
Zubimendi, who turned down Liverpool last summer and had been heavily linked with Real Madrid in recent weeks, becomes Arsenal’s first major signing of the summer.
His arrival comes after the departure of veteran midfielders Jorginho and Thomas Partey, both of whom left the club at the end of their contracts last week.
Arsenal had reportedly made attempts to sign Zubimendi as early as last summer, alongside his former Real Sociedad teammate Mikel Merino. While Sociedad were unwilling to lose both players in a single transfer window, persistent negotiations allowed Arsenal to reach a pre-agreement with Zubimendi in March.
Real Madrid made a late push to sign the midfielder, but Arsenal’s long-term planning and Arteta’s vision proved decisive.
“Once I made the decision to leave, I set my sights on Arsenal because I think their style of play is a good fit for me,” Zubimendi said in his first official interview with the club. “It’s a young, highly motivated and ambitious team. They have shown their potential recently, and I believe the best is yet to come.”
Zubimendi’s signing is expected to provide much-needed depth and control in Arsenal’s midfield, especially as the club looks to build on three consecutive second-place finishes in the Premier League.
The move also reunites him indirectly with former mentor Xabi Alonso, who now manages Real Madrid and previously coached Zubimendi at Sociedad’s B team.
Arsenal’s summer transfer activity appears far from over. The club is close to completing the signing of Brentford captain Christian Nørgaard in a deal worth up to £15 million, while also exploring the possibility of signing Chelsea winger Noni Madueke after reportedly holding talks over personal terms.
With these reinforcements, Arteta’s side seems poised to make another strong push for domestic and European honours in the 2024/25 season.
