Arsenal has many players capable of playing in top clubs in the world. One of them is Martín Zubimendi, the midfielder who was a target for Real Madrid in the most recent transfer market at the request of former manager Xabi Alonso.
The ex Real Sociedad star moved to England partly because Florentino Pérez believed Alonso didn’t need more midfielders. However, that area of the field is the current biggest weakness. This made fans return to the idea of signing Zubimendi, who spoke about that possibility on the Spanish TV show “El Larguero.”
Zubimendi shut the door on a potential move, explaining his view with a humble response. “I don’t think they need me. The truth is Real Madrid has enough players to do it right, so no.”
Zubimendi’s transfer to Arsenal and his statistics
Real Madrid has grown used to signing star players on free transfers in recent years. That may have played a role in viewing Zubimendi’s price as too high. The player was interested in joining the Spanish giants, but Arsenal signed him for €70 million (more than $80 million).
Zubimendi with Spain (Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)
That fee for a central midfielder could be seen as an overpay by some, but that argument has been challenged by Arsenal’s solidity in the Premier League, where the team has shown balance and control.
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Zubimendi quickly became a key piece for Mikel Arteta. The midfielder has played 24 Premier League matches with four goals, and his influence goes beyond the numbers, a level of performance that many Real Madrid fans may wish they had in their own squad.
Zubimendi’s Champions League favorites
Arsenal was the clear best team in the league phase of the competition. With a perfect record in eight matches, they remain favorites, but Zubimendi doesn’t rule out the Spanish clubs.
“The qualifying was good, but it’s about winning it. Anything can happen in the Champions League,” the Arsenal player said in the same interview. “You can’t discard the Spanish teams. Barcelona reached the semifinals last year, Real Madrid is Real Madrid, and Atlético have great players too.”
