Arsenal Seal £55 Million Deal For Martin Zubimendi

Arsenal have reached a final agreement to sign Spanish midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad in a deal worth £55 million, bringing an end to weeks of speculation, negotiation delays, and transfer uncertainty.

Despite Zubimendi’s well-known £51 million release clause, the Gunners have chosen to pay over the odds to spread the cost across multiple years, an increasingly common practice in modern football.

Real Sociedad had requested that the transfer be formalised in July due to financial reporting reasons, contributing to the delay, according to reports first published by The Athletic.

The 25-year-old midfielder had previously rebuffed interest from Liverpool last summer, citing loyalty to his boyhood club.

His reluctance to speak clearly on the Arsenal move, combined with reported interest from Real Madrid, had left fans uneasy. But no formal bid ever came from Los Blancos, and Arsenal remained undeterred in their pursuit.

Zubimendi, who had given a cryptic statement last week while on international duty, saying, “Of course there are options… it seems like it’s going to be a different, long summer,” has now reportedly committed to the move to the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal are confident he will join in time for pre-season training, with the club keen to integrate him quickly into Mikel Arteta’s system.

Sources indicate Arsenal’s sporting hierarchy, led by director Andrea Berta, was intent on structuring the deal in a way that would not hinder other transfer plans this summer.

The Gunners are also targeting a marquee centre-forward to bolster their attacking options after narrowly missing out on both the Premier League title and the Champions League final last season.

Talks are ongoing with RB Leipzig for striker Benjamin Sesko, with a £70 million price tag, while alternative options include Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres and Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, though the latter’s wage demands may prove prohibitive.

In addition, Arsenal are close to finalising a £5 million deal to sign Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea. He is expected to serve as back-up to fellow Spaniard David Raya.