Martin Zubimendi looks set to leave his boyhood club Real Sociedad in favour of a move to Arsenal this summer.
Zubimendi has agreed to join Arsenal after famously snubbing a move to Liverpool last summer.
Arsenal expect Zubimendi not to move elsewhere despite Real Madrid’s interest in his signature.
The Spanish international looks set to be the first signing of the Andrea Berta era at Arsenal, as he is set to replace Jorginho, who will join Flamengo on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Martin Zubimendi applauded as Real Sociedad fans asked him to stay
While Martin Zubimendi will be excited about the prospect of playing in the Premier League next season, making his final appearance at the Reale Arena during Real Sociedad’s 3-2 win against Girona would have been an emotional experience for him.
Zubimendi seemingly bid farewell to Real Sociedad in a prior admission already and leaving the club he joined as a teenager must be a difficult decision for him.
The decision would have been made even harder as MARCA reported that several Sociedad fans stayed back at the stadium to chant, “Zubi, stay! Zubi, stay!” after he impressed against Girona.
MARTIN ZUBIMENDI STATS VS GIRONA | |
DUELS WON | 2/2 |
ACCURATE PASSES | 45/51 (86%) |
PASSES INTO THE FINAL THIRD | 8 |
CHANCES CREATED | 2 |
TOUCHES | 62 |
However, Andrea Berta’s efforts to sign Zubimendi seemed to have worked to a tee as he simply applauded the supporters and proceeded to head into the tunnel — with the midfield maestro seemingly aware now is the time to make new memories at the Emirates Stadium.
What Andrea Berta is working on at Arsenal after sealing Zubimendi deal
The European Championship winner looks set to play a key role for Arsenal in the following campaign as he could simply take Thomas Partey’s role as the heartbeat of the side in front of the defence.
Mikel Arteta has been messaging Zubimendi for a long time, which shows how important the 43-year-old reckons his countryman’s impending arrival could be.
Andrea Berta is working on making new signings after having played an instrumental role in the Real Sociedad fan favourite’s imminent addition.
Berta seems to be fully focused on giving Arsenal a head start over their rivals in the summer transfer window, which will be music to Arteta’s ears.