Real Madrid's Renewed Pursuit of Martin Zubimendi

Real Madrid have come back for Martin Zubimendi. Again.

A year after failing to derail his move to Arsenal, the European champions are testing the waters once more, sounding out a deal for a midfielder Mikel Arteta has no intention of losing – unless someone writes a truly eye-watering cheque.

Madrid’s second run at a missed target

football.london understands that Real Madrid retain a strong interest in Zubimendi, now 27 and settled in north London after a demanding first season. Arsenal’s stance is clear: he is not for sale. But in modern football, that usually comes with an unspoken caveat – every player has a price.

Even inside the Santiago Bernabéu, the pursuit is not universally agreed upon. Senior figures at the club are split over whether Zubimendi is the right investment, especially with his Arsenal contract running until June 2030. Long-term deals like that are designed to protect value and fend off predators. They also make negotiations expensive, complicated, and political.

Madrid know this. They also know what happened last time.

The one that got away

Arsenal paid just over £51 million to prise Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, winning a race that had also drawn serious attention from Liverpool and Los Blancos. By the time Madrid tried to muscle in, it was already too late.

In June 2025, football.london reported that the Spanish giants came to the table three months after Arsenal had thrashed out a full agreement with Real Sociedad and the player. Madrid arrived late, found the door bolted, and watched Zubimendi board a plane to London instead.

This was no impulse buy from Arsenal. The midfielder had been on their radar for some time. They weighed up a move as early as the summer of 2024, when they also pushed for Mikel Merino. Real Sociedad refused to lose two pillars of their side in the same window, and the Basque club held their ground.

Arsenal didn’t sulk. They stayed patient, kept the relationship with La Real warm, and came back when the timing suited everyone. When the deal finally went through a year later, Arteta did not hide his delight.

“A key player” in Arteta’s vision

“Martin is a player who will bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence to our team,” Arteta said when the signing was confirmed. “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.”

It was not just the head coach pushing the move. Arsenal’s leadership saw Zubimendi as a cornerstone piece.

Andrea Berta added: “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 echoed that enthusiasm. For him, this was the step he had been waiting for.

“This is a huge moment in my career. It’s the move I was looking for and one I wanted to make,” he said. “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 demanding debut year

On the pitch, Zubimendi’s first season in England was anything but a gentle introduction. He featured 57 times across all competitions, a workload that underlined how quickly Arteta trusted him in the heart of midfield. Six goals, three assists, and a constant presence in the build-up told only part of the story.

His form dipped towards the end of the campaign. He lost his place in the starting XI as the season reached its sharpest edge, a reminder of how ruthless elite squads can be and how slim the margins are in a side chasing every trophy.

Yet when the dust settled, Zubimendi’s fingerprints were all over a historic year. Arsenal ended a two-decade wait to lift the Premier League title and went all the way to the Champions League final. For a first season in England, that is a brutal and brilliant education.

Madrid circle, Arsenal dig in

That is the player Real Madrid are circling now: a Spain international in his prime, tested in the Premier League, already embedded in a title-winning side, and locked into a long contract at the Emirates.

From Arsenal’s perspective, selling would make little sporting sense. Zubimendi was signed to be a central figure in a squad built to compete at the very top for years, not to be flipped after one campaign. Arteta has already called him “key”. You do not casually cash in on players you describe like that.

Yet Madrid rarely walk away quietly when they fix on a target. They missed out once. They know the price will be high, the negotiations fraught, and the internal debate at the Bernabéu noisy.

The question now is simple: how much pressure can they apply before Arsenal’s resolve, and that long contract, are truly put to the test?