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Arsenal fans woke up to some exciting news this weekend.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Real Sociedad’s Martín Zubimendi has said yes to a move to North London.
The Spanish midfielder has reached a 'verbal agreement' with the Gunners, and the club is now ready to trigger his €60 million release clause.
This move has been a long time coming. Zubimendi turned down a Premier League switch last year with Liverpool, but Arsenal didn’t give up. And now, with Jorginho expected to leave and Thomas Partey’s future still unclear, the timing feels just right.
The 26-year-old has spent his entire career at Real Sociedad. Since joining their youth setup in 2011, he’s made over 200 senior appearances and even lifted a Copa del Rey.
Now, it looks like he’s swapping the Basque Country for the red half of North London.
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How Zubimendi will fit in Arteta's Arsenal squad
So how does Zubimendi fit into Mikel Arteta’s plans? Simple — he’s the calm in the chaos.
He’s not the flashy type. With just 19 goal involvements in 232 matches, he’s not one for highlight reels.
But what he does bring is control, poise, and an eye for space. Think of him as the midfield metronome, the kind who makes the team tick without needing the spotlight.
Stats back it up too. He ranks in the top 10% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for take-on success and sits in the top 6% for blocked shots.
The Spaniard is not flashy, but he's effective — a proper midfield anchor who lets others do the dancing while he holds the fort.
With Zubimendi almost in the bag, Arsenal’s summer rebuild is off to a solid start. Now, the Gunners just need a few more pieces to turn their nearly moments into silverware.
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Vishal Bhawani is a sub-editor for the Affiliate Content team and a writer and sub-editor for the Football Wires team at The Sporting News. Based in Indore, India, he holds a Diploma in Operations and Management from Maharashtra University.
Before joining TSN in May 2024, Vishal contributed to Football Express and Six Sports and ran his own blog, Anfield Home, as a passionate Liverpool fan. An avid traveler, he follows multiple sports, including cricket, soccer, and tennis.
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