Real Madrid tried, and failed, to hijack the transfer of Martin Zubimendi to Arsenal last summer, and they’re back for a second bite of the cherry.
Martin Zubimendi has been linked with a move to Real Madrid(Image: Photo by Marvin Ibo Guengoer – GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)
Real Madrid are interested in signing Martin Zubimendi from Arsenal, football.london understands. Although the Gunners do not want to sell the 27-year-old midfielder, and Mikel Arteta plans to keep him in the squad this season, every player has a price.
It’s also understood that senior officials at the Santiago Bernabéu are not aligned on the idea of signing Zubimendi, whose contract at the Emirates Stadium expires in June 2030. Last year, Arsenal fended off interest from Liverpool and Los Blancos to sign the Spain international.
The Gunners forked out a little over £51million to prise Zubimendi from Real Sociedad. In June 2025, football.london exclusively reported that Real Madrid were late to the race for his signature, registering an interest in the Spaniard three months after a deal had been fully agreed.
Zubimendi had been on Arsenal’s radar for a while. The Gunners considered making a move for the midfielder during the summer of 2024, alongside the signing of Mikel Merino, but Real Sociedad didn’t want to lose two big names in the same transfer window.
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So, Arsenal remained in contact with the Spanish outfit, maintained a strong relationship, and returned to wrap up a deal the following year. When Arteta finally got his hands on Zubimendi, he described him as a ‘key player’.
“Martin is a player who will bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence to our team,” said the Gunners boss. “He will fit in really well, 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.”
Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, and David Raya for Spain(Image: Photo by Alex Pantling – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Andrea Berta said: “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 just as pleased to get a deal over the line. He said: “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.
“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.”
Zubimendi featured 57 times across all competitions in his debut season, scoring six goals and providing three assists. Although the Spaniard didn’t have a great end to the season, losing his place in the starting lineup, he helped Arsenal win the Premier League for the first time in over 20 years, as well as reach the final of the Champions League.
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