Arsenal won the race to tip Martin Zubimenddi after the Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel said a deal has still been reached with Real Sociedad to bring Liverpool’s target to the Emirates Stadium, with the timing of the deal and the prices in question as well.
The Spain star was followed closely by Liverpool last summer as the Reds looked to make the Real Sociedad man the first signing of the Arne Slot era on Merseyside. But despite agreeing to activate his €60m (£51m) exit clause and having agreed personal terms with the player over the switch, an 11th-hour change of heart saw the move break down.
However, with Zubimendi, who then remained with his club for the season, the hypothesis about his long career has returned higher in recent weeks amid claims remaining on the Reds’ radar, as they track Manchester City as they look to update ACL – Rodri’s injury victim.
But Mokbel, writing in the Daily Mail, claims that the Premier League two have now been beaten at Punch by Arsenal, who have reached an agreement with Sociedad for their signing.
He writes that Arsenal have moved to trigger his £51m exit clause, and with negotiations now at an advanced stage, sources have indicated that the deal is virtually completed.
He claims that Gunners boss Mikel Arteta had sought the move for Zubimfinishi but was forced to delay the move with the bosses of the Society, making it clear to the player that while they did not want to or could not, they would get in the way of his move in this way. As a result, Zubimfinishdi agreed to fulfill this wish.
News of Zubimendi’s agreement to join Arsenal was quickly backed up by both Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein.
Transfer journalist Romano posted on his page X: “Arsenal are in complex talks to sign Martin Zubimenddi for the summer of 2025. Ongoing negotiations with the players’ aspect, while positive discussions have taken position in the scenes, as revealed by @Samimokbel81_DM. The ultimate key There are still steps to be taken. Arsenal plan to trigger the release clause of €60m. “
This was temporarily subsidised through David Ornstein, who also wrote to X: “Arsenal are looking for a deal to appoint Martin Zumbimendi from Real Sociedad. #AFC running on the 25-year-old midfielder next summer for abundant ERA restarted long-term pursuit Mikel Merino’s recruitment procedure @Theathleticfc after @samimokbel81_dm’
Despite Arsenal’s now very evident desire to sign a new striker this month following Gabriel Jesus’ serious ACL injury, Arteta had also looked to bolster his midfielding characteristics in the second half of the season.
And with his interest in Zubimendi now going back a couple of seasons, it seems that Arteta now has his man.
The movement ends a long saga that has noticed Zubimendi strongly connected with a movement to the Premier League.
At the time of the collapse of his move to Anfield, it was suggested that the 25-year-old Euro 2024 winner was not ready to leave his hometown team and the club he represented as a boy.
Since then, he asked many times if he regrets this resolution to refuse the slot device and the CO, to which he told El Diario Vasco: “I went on vacation, and that surprised me through surprise. It not anything I had planned. I reacted when the scenario appeared.
“It’s an awkward moment for me, but I weighed the pros and cons and concluded that the most productive option was to stay.
“I’m not in ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunities. “If you’re smart and want to get something, it’s going to come to you. There is no desire to rush.
“I looked at my personal progression, who I am, and the club’s project. I stayed because I knew this season would be important for me in the team, and I still had steps to take. It wasn’t that hard of a decision. There were many reasons for my decision, but I was selfish and thought about what was best for me – and that was staying.”
Arteta has not yet pronounced on the claims that an agreement has been reached by Zubimendi, but admitted that he hopes his team after the Sunday Cup FA of Sunday will face Manchester United.
“We are actively looking in the market to improve the squad. That’s been like that since day one.
“It would be naïve not to do it. It’s an opportunity for the team. We are searching. We tried. Let’s see what we can do. “
Meanwhile, the Gunners remain more determined than ever to sign a new striker this month after Gabriel Jesus suffered a more serious injury than expected, and the Gunners have noted that a brazen initial gamble on Dusan Vlahovic backfired.
And with Ornstein he showed that Jesus is now in a position for a long destiny through a supposed rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), it is his left knee instead of the right one, on which he had surgery in 2022 ” – Arteta stepped up plans to signal a replacement.
However, their opening approach for Juventus star Vlahovic has fallen short, though the Bianconeri’s price tag has come to light.
More ambitious, Miguel Delaney of Independent states that Gunners could try to reactivate their plans to sign Viktor Gyokerres this month.
Elsewhere, Arteta saw a late move to beat Manchester United over the failed signing of the Paraguayan star, and the teen star is now completing his move to Old Trafford.