Evening Standard
·6 Juli 2025
Martin Zubimendi tells Arsenal fans what to expect from him in first tactical clue

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·6 Juli 2025
Mikel Arteta hopes new signing can help transform his midfield
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Martin Zubimendi has told Arsenal fans what to expect from him following his move to Emirates Stadium.
Zubimendi has finally sealed his switch from Real Sociedad in a deal worth more than £50million.
The midfielder has signed a five-year contract and Mikel Arteta has described him as a player who will “bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence” to Arsenal.
Arsenal have signed Zubimendi after Arteta targeted an elite No6 to help transform his midfield.
Zubimendi has signed a five-year contract at Arsenal
Arsenal FC via Getty Images
In his first interview with Arsenal, Zubimendi was asked what supporters can expect from him.
“I would say I’m a pretty versatile central midfielder who can play on my own or alongside others,” said the 26-year-old, before offering a hint of what he will bring to the team tactically. “I’m hard-working and bring balance to the team. You’ll see for yourselves.”
Zubimendi has immediately set his sights on winning major trophies at Arsenal.
“Individually, I want to do everything I can on the pitch to be competitive and help the team to the best of my abilities,” he said. “As a team, trophy wins often define the season so I believe winning these trophies is a good objective.
“Once I made the decision to leave [Real Sociedad], I set my sights on Arsenal because I think their style of play is a good fit for me.
“It’s a young, highly motivated and ambitious team. They have shown their potential recently, and I believe the best is yet to come. As soon as you set foot here, you realise how big this club and this team are. Andrea [Berta] and Mikel [Arteta] took excellent care of me, leaving me with no doubts whatsoever.
“This is a huge moment in my career. It's the move I was looking for; one I wanted to make. Of course, it's a big change, but I'm ready to get started.”