Real Madrid, Atletico and Chelsea circle Arsenal's Zubimendi ahead of £60m January exit

Martin Zubimendi is attracting interest from Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Chelsea as Arsenal weigh up a potential January sale of the defensive midfielder, who has lost his starting place since the summer signing of Bruno Guimaraes.

Zubimendi joined Arsenal for £60m from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2025 and was initially a regular under Mikel Arteta. However, the £85m acquisition of Guimaraes has reshaped the midfield hierarchy, with the Brazilian and Declan Rice now operating as Arteta’s preferred pairing, frequently supplemented by Myles Lewis-Skelly.

All three interested clubs are understood to need midfield reinforcement, and Zubimendi is considered one of the few high-calibre players who could realistically become available in the winter window. Arsenal are expected to demand at least the £60m they paid for him should a deal progress.

The Gunners’ own transfer plans are also a factor. Arteta wants to add a transitional winger — a fast, ball-carrying profile — in the summer, but the club are unlikely to fund that move without first generating significant sale income. That calculation has encouraged Real Madrid, Atletico and Chelsea to believe a deal for Zubimendi is achievable.

Despite his reduced role, the 25-year-old remained a meaningful contributor during Arsenal’s title-winning campaign and featured prominently for Spain at the World Cup in July, providing the assist for Ferran Torres’s winning goal in the final.

Zubimendi is currently playing with a protective face mask after suffering a suspected broken nose as a substitute in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Everton last month. He has been cleared to continue playing while the injury heals.