"It's the transfer I was looking for": Zubimendi joins Arsenal, leaving 70 million in Real Sociedad's coffers.

"This is a great moment in my career. It's the transfer I was looking for and the one I wanted. As soon as you set foot here, you realize how big this club is." These are the words of Martín Zubimendi, as reported on the Arsenal website, which is now his new club. The Spanish international midfielder leaves Real Sociedad, leaving €70 million in the coffers of the San Sebastián club, above what his buyout clause stipulated in exchange for the British club being able to pay in installments.

"I set my sights on Arsenal because their style of play suits me. They've shown potential recently and the best is yet to come," added the Basque, who will be reunited at the Emirates Stadium with his former teammate Mikel Merino , who has already completed his first season under Mikel Arteta , also from San Sebastián and with a brief spell at Real Sociedad as a player.

"Martín is a player who will give us a lot of quality and football intelligence. He'll fit in really well and has all the attributes to be a key player for us. The standards he has consistently displayed in recent seasons for both club and country are what makes us so eager to have him with us," Arteta said.

The Gunners have had Zubimendi on their radar for several months. Desired by several elite clubs, especially in England, he turned down Liverpool and was also linked with Barcelona and Real Madrid at the time. His signing meets the needs of the London club, a semi-finalist in the last Champions League and Premier League runner-up, following the departures of Jorginho and Thomas Partey .

Affectionate farewell

"Since he was fourteen at Zubieta, the San Sebastian native has been an example to all. He has shown maximum commitment, demanding standards, and performance, piloting the blue and white team from midfield," Real Sociedad expressed in a farewell message, wishing him "the best of luck." "This will always be your home. What comes from the heart cannot be changed by anything or anyone. Eskerrik asko [thank you], Martín," concludes the message from his now former team, which continues to suffer a severe process of professional decapitalization and begins an uncertain period with the arrival of Sergio Francisco as coach following the departure of Imanol Alguacil , who had led the team since March 2018. Under Zubimendi, 26, Real Sociedad won a Copa del Rey and was in European competitions for five consecutive seasons, one of them in the Champions League.

The central midfielder has shone for the national team in recent months in the absence of 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri , who suffered a serious knee injury in mid-September and returned to competition in May with Manchester City. The Gipuzkoan has signed a long-term contract with the London club and joins a midfield that includes Declan Rice , Martin Odegaard , and the aforementioned Mikel Merino.

He is Arsenal's second signing of the summer, following goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga , and the first step in Arteta and his team taking the definitive step towards winning a major title after three consecutive Premier League runners-up finishes. The next steps for Arsenal's sporting leadership include the signing of a centre-back, with the incorporation of Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia well advanced, and above all, a striker, a position for which the desires are directed towards Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko .