- Martin Zubimendi has been courted by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta for 18 months
- Real Sociedad’s president says the midfielder’s future will be settled in June
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Why Jude Bellingham’s move to Real Madrid paid off for Liverpool
Arsenal have reportedly shocked Real Madrid by sending the European champions a bullish message about Martin Zubimendi — a player both clubs hope to sign this summer.
The Real Sociedad midfielder has a release clause of £51m and has been courted by Mikel Arteta for 18 months.
Arsenal are in the market for a new central midfield player with Jorginho and Thomas Partey both running out of contract at the end of the season.
The Gunners are not the only ones interested in Zubimendi, however, with Real Madrid, Liverpool and Man City having all kept tabs on the Spain star.
Mail Sport reported in January that Arsenal had won the race for the 26-year-old and that a deal was virtually complete.
And now Spanish radio network Cadena Ser are reporting that the Gunners are so confident of landing Zubimendi that they informed Real Madrid that the deal was ‘practically finalised’ during a meeting between the clubs’ executives ahead of the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals.
Martin Zubimendi has attracted interest from Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Man City
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been courting midfielder Zubimendi for the past 18 months
Zubimendi won Euro 2024 with Spain and wants to play in the Champions League next season
Arsenal then proceded to knock Los Blancos out of the European Cup with a 5-1 aggregate win.
The signature of Zubimendi would be a first major signing for Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta since he took up the role last month and one in which he would have triumphed over the club’s European and domestic rivals.
Liverpool came close to signing Zubimendi for £52m last summer before a dramatic U-turn saw the midfielder remain at Real Sociedad.
There was also interest in Zubimendi from Man City earlier this campaign following the season-ending injury suffered by Rodri.
On Monday, Real Sociedad’s president revealed that Zubimendi’s future will be decided in June.
Asked about the Euro 2024 winner’s future, Jokin Aperribay told Radio Marca Donostia: ‘We’ll see what happens. All I ask of him is one last effort to qualify for Europe and whatever happens, will happen in June.
‘There’s no point in speculating now about whether he’ll be there. He’s had several opportunities to leave and he’ll make the decision he wants, because he’ll have more options.’
Asked if Zubimendi would be signing a new contract in Spain, Aperribay added: ‘I don’t remember our last conversation. When I talk to him, it’s more about goals, pushing.
The signing of Zubimendi would be another victory for Arsenal over Real Madrid following the Gunners’ Champions League quarter-final triumph over Los Blancos earlier this month
It would be a major coup for sporting director Andrea Berta who joined Arsenal last month
‘There’s one month left, and we’re playing against opponents who can beat us, but we can also beat them all.
‘There are no easy or difficult matches. Martin is part of that. I don’t know if it’s difficult for him to stay.
‘We haven’t tried to raise the clause. Don’t think contracts are negotiated like that. It’s more a matter of willpower. If he wants to continue the conversation, it will last five minutes. I don’t know if it’s difficult.’
Zubimendi wants to play Champions League football but Sociedad sit in tenth place in La Liga and look set to miss out on any European football next season.
They meekly bowed out in the last-16 of the Europa League following defeat by Manchester United and in the past week announced that B team boss Sergio Francisco will be stepping up to replace Imanol Alguacil at the end of the season.
