Real Madrid Pursues Martin Zubimendi Again with Mourinho's Support
Real Madrid’s interest in Martin Zubimendi is alive again – and this time Jose Mourinho is firmly behind the move.
Graeme Bailey reports that the Arsenal midfielder has returned to Madrid’s shortlist as Mourinho searches for more experience and control at the base of his midfield. The Portuguese coach wants authority in that holding role. Zubimendi, in his eyes, fits.
The timing is no coincidence.
Zubimendi only arrived at the Emirates last summer in a €65 million switch from Real Sociedad, signed to be a key pillar of Mikel Arteta’s evolving side. Arsenal viewed him as a long-term organiser, someone to anchor their play for years.
Then came Bruno Guimaraes.
The decision to bring in another high-profile midfielder has unsettled the picture. Inside Zubimendi’s camp, questions are now being asked about his long-term status in North London and whether he still holds the central role he was promised when he left San Sebastián.
Arsenal open the door – slightly
According to Bailey, conversations have already started. Zubimendi’s representatives are sounding out the market, weighing up what his next step could be and how his place under Arteta might shift after Guimaraes’ arrival.
At 27, Zubimendi is entering what should be his peak years. That is exactly why any doubts over his importance to Arsenal matter. The midfielder is understood to be concerned about whether he remains as central to Arteta’s plans as he expected when he signed.
Crucially, Arsenal are not slamming the door shut.
The club are not actively forcing him out, but they are described as open to listening to offers. If the right proposal lands on the table, they would be prepared to consider it. That stance has encouraged Madrid, long-term admirers of the Spain international, to test whether a deal is realistic.
Mourinho has already given his approval to a move for Zubimendi. For Madrid’s hierarchy, that backing carries weight.
The price of a one-year project
There is, however, a hard reality: money.
Arsenal paid €65 million for Zubimendi only a year ago. That investment means they are highly unlikely to accept a cut-price deal or make his exit straightforward. Any club coming forward will have to pay a fee that reflects both his age and the size of last summer’s outlay.
For Madrid, that is the main obstacle. They must first establish Arsenal’s valuation and then decide how far they are willing to go for a player who has had just one season in the Premier League.
What they do know is that the player is open.
Sources close to the situation suggest Zubimendi would be very keen on the chance to move to the Santiago Bernabeu. The prospect of anchoring Mourinho’s midfield, in a team reshaped under a coach who prizes discipline and experience in that role, is a powerful draw.
Contact has already been made regarding the midfielder. The interest is no longer theoretical.
Now the decision lies in Madrid’s boardroom: pay the Premier League premium for a one-year Arsenal signing, or walk away from a player Mourinho clearly believes can command his midfield for seasons to come?
