Liverpool thought he was their man. Manchester City had him on their long-list to fill a Rodri-shaped hole in Pep Guardiola’s midfield. Champions of Europe Real Madrid also sniffed around the situation.
So be under no illusion: Arsenal winning the race to sign Martin Zubimendi, the European Championship-winning midfielder of Real Sociedad, is an almighty coup.
Zubimendi is a down-to-earth character born and bred in the same region as Mikel Arteta, a true son of San Sebastian who reneged on a decision to join Liverpool this summer mainly due to his reluctance to leave the place he calls home.
The Premier League leaders believed they had Zubimendi’s word and sources in Spain at the time said it went as far as the player talking to Arne Slot. But the Spanish club went on the charm offensive and persuaded him to stay.
Mail Sport revealed at the time that coach Imanol Alguacil and departing director of football Roberto Olabe prepared a presentation on the pros and cons of a move abroad, tugging on his heartstrings about why life is better in San Sebastian.
Zubimendi, a keen mountain climber, was shown pictures of Monte Urgell – one of several peaks to hike in the area – and told that nowhere in England will replicate the pintxos or local tapas varieties he enjoys in the Basque Country.
Martin Zubimendi is set to join Arsenal in summer from Real Sociedad in a £51million deal
It represents a sizeable coup for Mikel Arteta, who hails from the same region in the Basque Country
The European Championship-winning star was targeted by Manchester City and Liverpool
He was also said to be wary of being stung by an interview he gave after starring in the Euros final for victors Spain, where he talked about how much he loved his life at La Real.
But when it became clear the move to Liverpool was not going to happen, the door was never fully shut on him leaving the club – it was left ajar and postponed. By now, the Reds had moved on and Slot realised he had his perfect No 6 all along in Ryan Gravenberch, who has improved tenfold this season.
All this paints an illustration of how hard it was to tempt Zubimendi, 25, out of his boyhood club. Credit must therefore go to Arsenal and interim sporting director Jason Ayto. Arteta, a fellow son of San Sebastian, undoubtedly also played an integral role.
Given the U-turn in the summer on a deal to join Liverpool, Arsenal fans may not truly celebrate this signing until he is pictured holding the red shirt aloft…