Zubimendi's Arsenal bench role puts Real Madrid transfer back in play

Martin Zubimendi is finding regular football hard to come by at Arsenal, and Real Madrid’s long-standing interest in the midfielder could yet become relevant again if his situation does not improve.

The 27-year-old, who joined from Real Sociedad after spending several transfer windows on Mikel Arteta’s radar, has started only two of his ten appearances in all competitions this season. All six of his Premier League outings have come from the bench. A run of untimely injuries has not helped: he sustained a knock in the warm-down after Arsenal’s match against Leeds on 10 October, then broke his nose coming on as a substitute in a subsequent win over Everton.

Zubimendi’s slide down the pecking order can be traced back to last season’s Champions League final, when Arteta opted for Myles Lewis-Skelly ahead of him to face PSG. The depth of Arsenal’s midfield options makes a regular starting berth difficult to reclaim — Declan Rice is an ever-present, while Lewis-Skelly, Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard and summer signing Bruno Guimarães all compete for the remaining spots.

Real Madrid’s interest in Zubimendi is reported to have originated with Xabi Alonso, who worked with the player during his time at Sociedad. That admiration has not faded, and the Spaniard’s lack of minutes at the Emirates could yet force a decision on his future.

Arteta, however, has been clear that Zubimendi remains valued at the club. “Martin is a very important player for us,” the Arsenal manager said. “He has been a bit unlucky with what happened with his ankle, with the nose afterwards. We have options in midfield and, like everybody else, he has to be ready. Everyone will have the chance to play, then it is about performing. His energy, his application, his will to help is unquestionable. He is an unbelievable player for us.”

The contrast between Arteta’s words and Zubimendi’s actual minutes will be the key tension to watch. Having started 34 of Arsenal’s 38 Premier League games last season, the World Cup winner will be acutely aware of how sharply his role has diminished.