After an injury-hit season saw the Gunners finish second again in the Premier League, Arsenal fought off major competition to secure the signing of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.
But who is the Spaniard, what will he bring to the side and why is he costing £55 million? Phil Costa reports.
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For many years, it felt like getting Martin Zubimendi out of San Sebastian would be an impossible task. This is someone who took their first breath in Donostia and if down to him, would take his last (and the hundreds of millions in between) in that same, humid air with little fuss. Those with knowledge of the region and its people will realise this isn’t uncommon.
But it hasn’t been for the want of trying. First it was Barcelona who saw their advances rebuffed, then it was Arsenal, Real Madrid, and finally Liverpool who came closest of all last summer after agreeing to pay his €60 million buyout clause in full – before the player rejected the move.
However, after 236 appearances and nearly 18,000 minutes played for his boyhood club, the 26-year-old has agreed to join Arsenal in the knowledge that he needs a new challenge and La Real themselves must rebuild with their manager and sporting director also leaving this summer. He certainly departs with their blessing after helping to bring Champions League football and silverware back to Anoeta for the first time in 34 years; as a product of their famous Zubieta academy no less.
So, what do Zubi do?
He is very much the number six for Real Sociedad, midfield anchor, lone pivot, however you want to call it; the guy sitting in front of the back four tasked with protecting them defensively while simultaneously holding an important role in build up. Zubimendi isn’t really a deep-lying playmaker who makes 110 passes-per-game at 95% completion rate, or a destroyer who darts around like an attack dog, snapping into challenges and hoovering up loose balls – but more a hybrid of both.
The 26-year-old can look a bit untidy at times due to how La Real play (it was also a rough season for them which skews the numbers), and often hits the ball over the top, first time into space where their forwards can break in transition. However, that’s not to say he can’t be cuter in possession. According to SkillCorner data, Zubimendi averaged the second-most line breaking passes in LaLiga (141) last season with only Barcelona midfielder Pedri making more (163); and just four midfielders made more progressive passes than him.
His shorter game might be difficult to analyse at first, because he doesn’t get on the ball or make as many passes as other players in this position. But Zubimendi typically excels as a reference point, scuttling across or dropping between the centre backs to offer solutions for players being pressed, before bouncing the ball back in one or two touches and going again. The midfielder might not always play accurately, but he always looks to play quickly (and confidently on both feet) which could provide a welcome antidote for the horseshoe of death.
He is also comfortable progressing through carrying, with a sharp turning radius and burst to get away from people from his own defensive third; boasting a 68% successful take-on percentage which not only puts him clear of every other Arsenal midfielder – but in the 93rd percentile across the top five European leagues, per FBref data.
For me, the value in Zubimendi stems from his appreciation of the basics. There is obvious consideration placed on his body positioning, where he receives the ball and how he should pass to his teammates. There’s also nuance in his game about where he stands, knowing when to speed up play, knowing when to go direct, the pace and weight of his passes, and where his influence is most needed to suit different game states or opposition.
Which is why, tactically, this opens up opportunities because even though Thomas Partey (or Jorginho) are lone sixes on paper, Arsenal usually drop somebody in to help support build up, whether it’s an inverted left back, Declan Rice or even Martin Odegaard. The 26-year-old is entirely comfortable as the lone pivot; he’s done it for both club and country and in theory, should push everybody further forward, away from build up, to areas where they are more likely to cause issues for the opposition.
There is also potential for a more natural double pivot with Rice, who can support the Spaniard without having to babysit and still do all the things he’s good at – like squeezing teams, hoovering up second balls and denying the opposition an exit route. And if they do find one; let me introduce you to his mates; William Saliba and Gabriel. Zubimendi can also jump out of his space to support the press and force high turnovers should opportunities present themselves.
Defensively, there is plenty to like about the midfielder and his reading of the game. Most people think of deep midfielders as firefighters; banging and crashing into tackles, blocking shots and putting their bodies on the line – Zubimendi is the guy who makes sure those fires don’t happen in the first place.
He is very positionally aware, constantly scanning to gauge an image of the pitch and where his teammates are standing to anticipate their needs. The 26-year-old isn’t somebody who goes looking for the ball, he prefers to stand his ground and cut off passing lanes with subtle body movement, which effectively forces the opposition into making the decision he wants them to make. Once they are led into congested areas or towards the touchline, that’s when he becomes more aggressive and tigerish in his attempts to win the ball back.
Only Jon Aramburu (103) completed more tackles than Zubimendi for La Real last season (73), while his 44 interceptions were clear of any other teammate, which highlights an ability to get stuck in when needed and also challenge accurately. The midfielder is squeaky clean in direct contact, with a strong sense of timing and looks to pinch the ball away from people instead of clattering everybody and their ancestors out.
Athletically speaking, the midfielder is fine across the board although I am curious to see how he handles the step up in physicality and intensity, because Barclays-ball is becoming increasingly transition heavy, and even though this iteration of Arsenal are centred around control, there will be situations where he finds himself isolated and his lack of additional gears could be exposed. Like most players, he is quicker bursting forward than running backwards and will be left wanting at times when stretched.
Another fun thing to note: standing at just below six foot – which is tall, but not super tall – Zubimendi is monstrous in the air and since making his debut for La Real six seasons ago, has the best success rate of any midfielder in LaLiga to contest 250 or more aerial duels (67%). That sound you hear is Nicolas Jover adding all his Wyscout clips to a more private stash.
Despite Arsenal bagging their newest and much-needed solution in midfield, there are still reservations about this player and it’s understandable why. Zubimendi isn’t someone that dazzles you with obvious match-winning quality, nor does he jump off the page statistically which has led people to question: what makes him good enough to not only anchor this team, but push them over the line with Premier League and Champions League ambitions?
Of course, there is a world in which he can’t do that and struggles to meet what’s required at the highest level. But my mind keeps going back to one thing: how many England fans rubbed their hands together with glee when Rodri was forced off and replaced by Zubimendi in the EURO 2024 final last July? I’m sure most did, but I’m also sure that most of those fans remember him hunting down Cole Palmer like a heat-seeking missile and picking his pocket on halfway, or striding away from Jude Bellingham in midfield to create a chance for Mikel Oyarzabal.
There was another moment late on where some sharp thinking put him in position to block an Ollie Watkins shot (the game was still tied at that point), which makes his half time introduction all the more impressive; being able to come into a game of that magnitude and not only match the pace – but stamp your authority on it – in a typically understated way.
And that’s who Arsenal are signing. He’s a player’s player. He’s someone who managers love because you never need to worry about his basics, or where he’s standing because more often than not – he’s doing them just how you want them done.
That’s why Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente called him a “sure bet” who does “everything you ask of him”. It’s why (now departing) Real Sociedad manager Imanol Aguacil said he would be “almost impossible to replace”, with Spanish icon Xavi labelling him “a player who commands situations with and without the ball” after trying to sign him for Barcelona during his time in charge of the club.
Recruitment will never be an exact science but Zubimendi offers bite, bounce and clarity to an ageing midfield group in need of all three. Thankfully, there’s more than a slice of home in this Arsenal team which should ease his initial transition, but also provide a platform to help bring this club Basque back where they belong.
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