La Liga superstar snubs Liverpool and Manchester City in favour of medical at London club
Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi is on the verge of completing a move to the Premier League.
For almost 12 months, the top clubs in English football have been vying for Zubimendi’s services. The midfielder appeared on everyone’s radar at the 2024 Euros, where he replaced an injured Rodri in the final as Spain beat England to the trophy.
Since then, the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City have been keen on signing the 26-year-old, who committed his short-term future to Sociedad last summer. Now, he is packing his bags and preparing for a Premier League medical - but not at either of these clubs.
Instead, BBC Sport has reported that paperwork has been filed between Sociedad and Arsenal, with the deal now in its final stages. The transfer will go through pending a successful medical, which Arsenal are currently arranging.
While the medical has yet to be scheduled, there is a shared desire to finalise the formalities as soon as possible, with Arsenal keen to make Zubimendi’s signing their first official order of business this summer.
The Spain international has a £51m release clause, which Arsenal have agreed to meet.
Payment terms with Real Sociedad are also apparently settled.
Zubimendi’s arrival could be the first of several key moves at the Emirates this summer. The Gunners are also targeting a new striker, with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres among the names under consideration.
Meanwhile, contract talks are ongoing with several current players, including Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Gabriel, Leandro Trossard, Thomas Partey, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Ethan Nwaneri.