Arteta insists Zubimendi remains central to Arsenal plans
Mikel Arteta has dismissed any suggestion that Martin Zubimendi could leave Arsenal this summer, insisting last season’s ever-present midfielder remains a vital part of his plans.
Signed from Real Sociedad for €70 million after a lengthy pursuit, the Spain international was immediately installed at the base of Arsenal’s midfield and went on to feature in all 38 Premier League matches, the only outfield player in Arteta’s squad to do so. His tally of 2,989 league minutes was bettered only by Declan Rice and David Raya.
The relentless schedule eventually appeared to catch up with him. Zubimendi’s form dipped during the closing weeks of the campaign, and he lost his place in the side after Myles Lewis-Skelly impressed in midfield, a run that culminated in the teenager starting the Champions League final.
Coupled with the arrival of Bruno Guimaraes this summer, that prompted speculation Arsenal could consider cashing in on Zubimendi just 12 months after signing him. Real Madrid, long-time admirers of the Spaniard, were again credited with interest, while Chelsea, now managed by Xabi Alonso, were also linked in recent weeks.
Speaking on the eve of the new campaign, however, Arteta made it abundantly clear he has no intention of parting with one of last season’s most trusted lieutenants.
“Without a doubt, he was one of the best players for Arsenal last season. Without him, we would never get into the position that we got in the last few weeks, and he deserves massive credit. He certainly gets credit from all of us, all the coaches, myself and especially his teammates.
“We know that without him, we would never reach the level and the way that we competed throughout 10 months. At the end, yeah, he didn’t play that much. He still played some important minutes, but he didn’t play that much. But no one can neglect the importance of what we did and how important he is for us.
“It’s important to comment because a lot of people end with the taste, no, but this player played the Champions League final. Yeah, yeah, because this guy did it for 10 months. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here, and we wouldn’t be playing in those finals. And I think he deserves a lot of credit for that.”
After the domestic season ended, Zubimendi headed straight off to the World Cup with Spain, where it’s fair to say he’d have hoped for a bigger role. Despite earning praise from head coach Luis de la Fuente, he found himself playing understudy to Rodri, who was eventually named the tournament’s best player. In the end, Zubimendi made just one appearance, coming on in extra time of the final as Spain saw out a 1-0 victory over Argentina to lift the trophy.
Arteta revealed he has since spoken at length with his compatriot, explaining both why his minutes tailed off towards the end of last season and why Arsenal have strengthened further in midfield.
“I had various conversations with him face-to-face for him to understand my decisions. He knew perfectly where they were coming from, and he’s extremely honest and a straight guy. And he’s so demanding of himself that sometimes it can be even too much.
“But he knows that, and he knew that we were going to add and increase the quality of the squad because it has to happen in every position, and we cannot do what we did.
“And then, when he got to the last stage of his season, he already played 55 games. We cannot have that again at this level, and he recognises that.
“And now it’s going to be, OK, how I’m going to now raise the level to be able to do what I did last year but for 11 months, that’s it. He’s a really important player for us.”
Speaking earlier in his press conference, Arteta also ruled out any suggestion Lewis-Skelly could leave before the transfer window closes. With Bruno Guimaraes now in the fold and Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino all competing for minutes, Zubimendi and Lewis-Skelly face the same challenge, maintaining the standards that made Arsenal champions in the first place. Not a bad problem for Arteta to have.
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