Real Madrid Renew Interest in Martin Zubimendi

Real Madrid are back for Martin Zubimendi. They missed him once. They do not intend to miss him twice.

The Spanish giants tried to hijack his move from Real Sociedad to Arsenal last summer and arrived late to a race that had already been run. Arsenal had shaken hands, signed papers and sold the project. By the time Real Madrid called, Zubimendi was already north London-bound.

Now they are testing the door again.

Madrid circle, Arsenal dig in

football.london understands that Real Madrid have renewed their interest in the 27-year-old midfielder, who has just completed his first season at the Emirates. Arsenal’s stance is clear: they do not want to sell. Mikel Arteta sees Zubimendi as part of his core, not a trading chip.

But every player has a price. Even one tied down until June 2030.

Inside the Santiago Bernabéu, the debate is live. Senior figures are not fully aligned on whether Zubimendi is the right move, or the right profile, at this moment. Some see a natural heir to the deep-lying roles that have defined Madrid’s midfield for a generation. Others question the need to invest heavily in a position they have already stocked.

That hesitation is familiar. In 2025, Madrid’s interest arrived three months after Arsenal had already agreed a deal with Real Sociedad. They were late to the party then. They may be late again.

Arsenal’s long courtship

Arsenal did not stumble upon Zubimendi by accident. He had been on their radar for a long time, tracked and measured as the ideal pivot for Arteta’s evolving system.

The club first seriously weighed a move in the summer of 2024. The idea then was ambitious: Zubimendi and Mikel Merino together, a double lift from San Sebastián. Real Sociedad refused to gut their midfield in one window. One big sale, yes. Two, no chance.

So Arsenal waited. They kept the relationship warm, kept the lines open, and came back a year later. This time, they got their man.

A little over £51 million was the price to prise him away from his boyhood club. For Arsenal, it was not a speculative punt. It was a cornerstone signing.

“A key player” from day one

When the deal finally went through, Arteta did not hide what he thought he had secured.

“Martin is a player who will bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence to our team,” he said at the time. “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.”

Andrea Berta, speaking for the club’s recruitment arm, echoed that conviction.

“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 himself sounded like a man who knew exactly what he wanted.

“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.”

A title, a wobble, and a new level

On the pitch, his first season in England was heavy on minutes and heavy on responsibility. Zubimendi featured 57 times across all competitions, scoring six goals and adding three assists. Those numbers only hint at his influence: the tempo, the positioning, the quiet authority in front of the back line.

The campaign did not run in a straight line. His form dipped late on. He lost his place in the starting XI as Arteta rotated and searched for different solutions in the run-in. For a player adapting to a new league, new demands and a relentless schedule, the drop-off was noticeable.

Yet when the medals were handed out, Zubimendi’s fingerprints were all over Arsenal’s breakthrough. He helped the club win the Premier League for the first time in more than 20 years and played his part in a run to the Champions League final. For a debut season, it was a brutal, brilliant education.

The tug-of-war ahead

All of that is why Madrid have come again. You do not often get a second chance with this kind of profile: a Spain international, in his prime, already proven at the highest level, already conditioned to pressure.

Arsenal’s answer, for now, is simple. Not for sale.

But contracts until 2030 are written with calculators as well as pens. Madrid know that. Arsenal know that. Zubimendi, watching two of Europe’s superpowers weigh up his future, knows it too.

The first battle for his signature went decisively Arsenal’s way. The next one will reveal just how high a price Real Madrid are willing to pay to rewrite that story.