Real Madrid Renew Interest in Martin Zubimendi Amid Arsenal's Stance

Real Madrid thought they had missed their chance with Martin Zubimendi. Arsenal moved early, paid the money, sold the project and closed the door. Or so it seemed.

They are back at that door now.

football.london understands that Madrid have renewed their interest in the 27-year-old midfielder, a year after failing with an attempt to hijack his move from Real Sociedad to north London. Arsenal, for their part, have no intention of cashing in. Mikel Arteta sees Zubimendi as part of his core. But in modern football, every insistence of “not for sale” comes with an unspoken caveat: at the right price.

Inside the Santiago Bernabéu, the debate is already under way. Senior figures are not united on whether Zubimendi is the right fit or the right priority, especially with his contract at the Emirates running until June 2030. Long term, expensive, and prised away only with serious money – it is not a straightforward pursuit.

Arsenal know exactly what they have. They beat both Liverpool and Madrid to his signature last year, paying a little over £51 million to trigger his departure from Real Sociedad. The Spanish club had already resisted a double raid the previous summer, unwilling to lose both Zubimendi and Mikel Merino in the same window. Arsenal waited, kept the relationship warm, and struck when the timing finally suited everyone but their rivals.

When the deal was done, Arteta did not hide what he thought he had secured. He called Zubimendi a “key player”, praising his “football intelligence” and the level he had shown for both club and country. The message was clear: this was not a squad piece. This was a cornerstone.

Andrea Berta echoed that sentiment from the recruitment side, describing Zubimendi as a “key target” and “perfect fit” for the squad. Arsenal believed they had landed the ideal conductor for Arteta’s positional play, a midfielder to stitch together phases and raise the team’s technical ceiling.

Zubimendi himself embraced the move with the enthusiasm of a player who felt he had found the right stage. He called it a “huge moment” in his career, the move he had been looking for. The attraction was simple: Arsenal’s style suited him, and he saw a team still climbing, not yet at its peak. “The best is yet to come,” he said on arrival.

On the pitch, his first season told a nuanced story. Zubimendi featured 57 times in all competitions, scoring six goals and supplying three assists. He shouldered a heavy workload, adapted to a new league and helped Arsenal finally break their two-decade wait for a Premier League title. He also played his part in a deep European run that ended in the Champions League final.

The campaign did not finish quite as strongly for him personally. He lost his place in the starting XI in the closing stretch, a reminder that even high-profile signings are not immune to tactical tweaks or dips in form under Arteta. Yet his fingerprints were still all over a historic season for the club.

That is the player Madrid are circling now: a proven operator at the top end of European football, tied down long term, embedded in a title-winning side and valued by a coach who pushed hard to bring him in.

For Arsenal, the calculation is delicate. Selling a central midfielder who has already helped deliver the league and reach a Champions League final would send a jolt through a squad built on continuity and clear roles. For Madrid, the question is whether they are willing to test that resolve with an offer big enough to silence internal doubts.

They missed their chance once. This time, if they move, it will have to be with absolute conviction.