Martin Zubimendi’s move to Arsenal is still expected to go through as normal, despite talk of a hijack from Real Madrid. The midfielder emerged as an Arsenal transfer target earlier this year, with the north Londoners having been tipped to secure his signature.
Zubimendi, who had been linked with Liverpool last year, has a £51million release clause in his Real Sociedad contract. It was reported last month that plans were being put into place for Zubimendi’s medical to take place ahead of a summer move to the Emirates Stadium.
Talk of Real Madrid getting involved in negotiations has appeared to throw a spanner into the works. Newly-appointed Los Blancos boss Xabi Alonso is believed to be a fan of Zubimendi, with Real Madrid viewing the 26-year-old as a potential replacement for the departing Luka Modric.
But, according to The Independent, the noise surrounding Zubimendi to Real Madrid has taken Real Sociedad’s transfer chiefs by surprise. La Real would prefer to sell to Arsenal, as opposed to their fellow La Liga rivals, and it’s said that Zubimendi’s Arsenal move is expected to go through as previously mooted.
Zubimendi had set the hearts of Arsenal fans racing earlier this summer while on international duty with Spain, hinting that his future was still up in the air. He said: “Of course there are options, but it’s true that it seems like it’s going to be a different, long summer, and I don’t know how it will end. Thinking about it right now is not my top priority. I’m here with the national team, which I think is already quite demanding, and if I have to say something, then I will.”
Zubimendi, who worked with Alonso when the coach was at La Real, also said: “I have always said that [Alonso] was my idol and that, for me, it was lucky that he was able to coach me in the reserve team in a very important year.
“The following year I was already in the first team and, well, I don’t like to talk about those hypotheses [of Madrid calling], I prefer to talk about the present, because I also think that it would be disrespectful to answer from the national team training camp and before facing such an important competition.”
The first part of the summer transfer window runs until June 10 ahead of the Club World Cup. It will re-open a few days later and run until September 1.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk