Martin Zubimendi is living his final days as a Real Sociedad player, with the midfielder set for a move to Arsenal. A deal has already been agreed between all parties, and it has been this way for several weeks.
Martin Zubimendi has been set for Arsenal for several weeks
Zubimendi turned down a move to Liverpool last summer, but he is now primed to continue his career in the Premier League with the north London club. Arsenal fans have been kept waiting for an official announcement, but there has been no reason to worry despite reported interest from Real Madrid. The reason is simple: La Real wanted the sale on their books for the 2025-26 financial year.
Zubimendi flew into London earlier this month to finalise matters, and as per Marca, a deal will be made official by all parties later this week once the summer transfer window re-opens in Spain, thus signalling the start of a new financial year for La Real.
Arsenal to pay €66m to Real Sociedad as part of agreement
The report also confirmed the final fee that Arsenal will pay to La Real for Zubimendi. The 26-year-old has a release clause of €60m, but the Premier League side will pay 10% more in order to secure a more favourable payment plan. They had been keen to avoid paying the sum in one go, and it appears that this has been achieved.
It is a blow for Zubimendi to leave La Liga, where he was one of the standout defensive midfielders, but it was probably the right time for him to leave Donostia-San Sebastian to continue his career. La Real will have money to spend on this replacement, and also improving other areas of their squad – which is absolutely essential given their poor performance in La Liga during the 2024-25 season.
