New Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi has explained the reason behind his decision to join the Gunners instead of Liverpool this summer.
After a slow start in the transfer window, the Gunners have kicked into top gear with the likes of Christian Norgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, and Noni Madueke arriving at the Emirates. Meanwhile, Valencia and Spain Under-21 defender Cristhian Mosquera is also set to arrive.
The fans have been showing interest in the Arsenal tickets based on the summer transfer business done so far.
Zubimendi opens up on why he chose Arsenal
Martin Zubimendi revealed that his decision to join Arsenal this summer was driven by his desire to play under a “top-class coach”.
Zubimendi completed a £51million move to the Emirates earlier this month, having rejected the chance to join Liverpool last year.
In an interview with The Athletic, Mikel Arteta was a major reason behind his choice of Arsenal.
“I don’t know what he (Arteta) saw in me, but I saw him as one of the top coaches in Europe,” Zubimendi said.
“I wanted a quality coach when I left Real Sociedad. I think I’ve found him. In the few days I’ve been here, I’ve seen how meticulous he is about every aspect of the game, so I think he’s the one.”
Zubimendi, who was strongly linked with Liverpool last summer, has revealed that although he received several offers, he had no intention of leaving Real Sociedad.
“It wasn’t an easy time,” he says. “I wanted to stay at La Real, but when offers come in, you start thinking about your options.
“The first question I had to answer was whether I wanted to leave, and it wasn’t the right time. I felt La Real offered me more opportunities and that I still had a lot to learn, so staying was the best decision.”
During his unveiling, Zubimendi also confirmed that the move to Arsenal is a huge one for his career.
“This is a huge moment in my career. It’s the move I was looking for and one I wanted to make. 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.”
On his part, Arteta, who is also a native of San Sebastien like Zubimendi, was full of praise for the midfielder.
“Martin is a player who will bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence to our team. 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.”
“When you have him every single day, how he captures the information, how he processes things on the pitch, it’s very impressive,” the Arsenal manager said.
Zubimendi: “I set my sights on Arsenal”
While leaving his hometown of San Sebastian wasn’t an easy decision, Martin Zubimendi was left in no doubt that his future was set for North London.
“Once I made the decision to leave, I set my sights on Arsenal because I think their style of play is a good fit for me,” the new Arsenal midfielder said in his first interview.
“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.”
Zubimendi’s path to success follows a similar path to Arteta’s. The pair turned out for the same youth team, Antiguoko, before both representing Real Sociedad.
He said: “We have a lot in common. We come from the same city and played for the same teams. We’ll have something to talk about off the pitch, I’m happy about that.”
Solid summer transfer window for the Gunners
Arsenal have done a lot in the transfer window this summer and are looking stronger than ever ahead of the new season.
Mikel Arteta has brought in Christian Norgaard from Brentford, Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea, and Noni Madueke from Chelsea as well. Meanwhile, Valencia and Spain Under-21 defender Cristhian Mosquera is also set to arrive.
In what is the most important signing for the Gunners this summer, reports have confirmed that an agreement has been reached with Sporting Lisbon for the transfer of their striker, Victor Gyokeres. The Gunners are expected to pay €63.5million (£54.8m), plus €10 million (£8.6m) in add-ons for the 27-year-old. It is believed that the former Coventry star is the missing piece in the team’s puzzle, as they hope to win the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Arsenal also extended the contracts of important defenders Myles Lewis-Skelly and Gabriel Magalhaes.
MLS said: “I want a legacy,” the 18-year-old told us after putting pen to paper on his new deal. “I want to win everything there is to win in the game. I want to win trophies on the biggest stages whilst being a person that’s always learning and stays grounded, which is so important.”
On the other hand, reflecting after signing his new contract, Gabi said: “I arrived here as a young player and after almost five years I’m so happy and I’ve learned a lot. I’m so proud of myself, it’s an amazing journey, and I’m so happy to continue it. I hope I win some trophies with this club, because I love this club and my family loves the club, too.
“Arsenal is an amazing club and I’m so proud to sign a new contract. I love this club, I love the supporters, my teammates, I love this stadium. I’m so proud and thank you for all the support. We continue together for the future.”
