Real Madrid are reportedly interested in signing Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi this summer.
The Spaniard had an interesting first season with Arsenal after moving from Real Sociedad last summer. Although he won the Premier League and reached the Champions League final, Zubimendi may not have been happy having lost his place in the starting XI towards the end of the season. He then only played 21 minutes at the World Cup, albeit in the final as Spain became two-time world champions.
Real Madrid may be looking to capitalise on that as they look to rebuild their midfield under Jose Mourinho. The question is, should Arsenal entertain offers for the Spaniard?
Why Arsenal need to keep Zubimendi
A key part of the team
Although he ended the season out of the starting lineup, Zubimendi was a key member of Arsenal’s title-winning squad. In fact, he was the only player to play in all 38 of their Premier League matches. He started 34 of those matches, with only David Raya (37) and Declan Rice (35) starting more league games than Zubimendi. They were also the only two players with more Premier League minutes for Arsenal than Zubimendi’s 3,001.
The games that Zubimendi didn’t start, however, did come in a key period of the season. He was a substitute in the final three league games before Arsenal were officially crowned champions, amassing 66 minutes. He got his final start of the season on the last day, when the trophy had already been wrapped up. But even that came at right-back in a rotated side.
It was slightly different in the Champions League, though Zubimendi was still one of Arsenal’s most-used players. Only two players featured in more games for Arsenal than Zubimendi’s 13, and he started 11 of those — again with only two managing more. But Zubimendi dropped to fifth for minutes played with 997, the highest-ranked player not to hit 1,000. Again, though, the games he featured in but didn’t start were the semi-final second leg and the final. Zubimendi came on at the start of extra-time in the final but was not in Arsenal’s first five penalty takers.
Across all competitions, only Raya and Rice played more minutes than Zubimendi’s 4,298 last season. That doesn’t feel like a player Arsenal will want to get rid of.
How good was Zubimendi?
Zubimendi did a very good job for Arsenal last season, without looking spectacular among his positional peers across the league. But the latter shouldn’t count against him. Zubimendi made 68 tackles in the Premier League last season, placing him 14th among central midfielders in the division. He also placed seventh for his 39 interceptions, and sixth for clearances completed.
The stat that might surprise most is his aerial duels won. Zubimendi isn’t exactly small, standing 5’11”, but he doesn’t come across as tall either. And yet he won 65 aerial duels, which was the third-most among central midfielders — with a 66.33% success rate. Zubimendi won possession 84 times in the middle third across the season, which was the 14th-most among central midfielders.
But you also have to look at his role in the team. Zubimendi ranked second for tackles and possessions won in the middle third at Arsenal, behind Declan Rice for both metrics. That was the Englishman’s job. Zubimendi did make more interceptions than any other Arsenal player, though.
It’s a similar story with the passing. Zubimendi attempted (1,928) and completed (1,684) the third-most passes of any Arsenal player in the Premier League last season. He ranked second for final third passes attempted (530) and completed (414). Again, it was only Rice ahead of him in those metrics. Zubimendi was an integral part of the way Arsenal retained possession, with only three sides having more of the ball on average than the Gunners’ 56.16%.
How does Zubimendi compare to Real Madrid’s midfield?
There’s also the question of why Real Madrid want Zubimendi. He’s clearly a good player, but he doesn’t match up overly well with what they’ve currently got in midfield. The answer there, though, is that Mourinho is reportedly happy to let Eduardo Camavinga leave. So Aurelien Tchouameni — whose own future was in doubt until recently — needs someone alongside him.
Jude Bellingham is more of an attack-minded player, while Federico Valverde has been utilised more out wide. With Zubimendi alongside Tchouameni, Real Madrid would have security in midfield. The Spaniard’s 2.3 clearances per 90 in the Premier League last season outshines Tchoumeni’s 1.9 in La Liga, as well as Camavinga’s 1.5 and Valverde’s 1.7. But it was the only metric Zubimendi wins on.
Zubimendi wasn’t as strong a passer as any of the Real Madrid trio, though he did rank second for his 16.4 forward passes per 90. A more progressive mindset meant more risks being taken, and more chance at failure. Zubimendi’s aerial duel success was only second to Tchouameni, though he wasn’t as strong on the floor.
Similarly to his standing at Arsenal, were Zubimendi to join Real Madrid, he wouldn’t be the star midfielder. But he’d be a key cog in the machine. And that’s exactly why Arsenal will not want to let him leave, as they look to build towards English — and eventually European — dominance.