Zubimendi gives ‘quick and ucl newsforceful response’ to Real Madrid after Perez ‘contacts’ Arsenal star
Subhankar Mondal Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez
Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi has turned down the chance to join Real Madrid in the summer of 2026, according to a Spanish report.
Zubimendihas been one of Arsenal’s best players this summer, following his €60million move from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2025.
The Spain international is one of the first names on the Arsenalteamsheet and has forged a formidable partnership with Declan Rice in the middle of the park.
Zubimendi has scored six goals and given three assists in 44 matches in all competitions this season for Arsenal, who are aiming to win the Premier League, the Champions League and the FA Cup after losing the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City last week.
It is well-documented that Xabi Alonso wanted to sign Zubimendi for Real Madridwhen he was appointed the Spanish club’s manager in the summer of 2025.
However, Madrid president Florentino Perez did not heed Alonso’s suggestion, with the former Bayer Leverkusen manager eventually parting ways with Los Blancos in January 2026.
READ: Arsenal face summer ‘transfer conundrum’ as Mo Salah ‘dream club’ revealed
Madrid have since realised the importance of signing a top-quality midfielder who can control the tempo of the game.
Enzo Fernandez of Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain star Vitinha and Manchester City ace Rodri are just three of the midfielders on Madrid’s radar.
A Spanish report has now revealed that Madrid president Perez has also tried for Zubimendi, making contact with his agent to see if the Spaniard would be keen on a move to Estadio Bernabeu.
However, Zubimendi has decided not to leave Arsenal for Madrid and plans to continue his career at the Emirates Stadium under manager Mikel Arteta.
According to the report, Madrid president Pérez has ‘recently contacted’ Zubimendi’s ‘representative to?convey that he would now be willing to make a proposal to remove him from the Gunners’ team’.
READ MORE: Ranking replacements for the 25 best forwards in Premier League history
Zubimendi has ‘given a quick and forceful response, making it clear that he is not interested in this possibility’.
The midfielder ‘has no intention of leaving London in the short term and is ‘also very satisfied with the project at Arsenal’.
Zubimendi is currently with the Spain squad, with his national team’s manager, Luis de la Fuente, claiming that the Arsenal star is the second best defensive midfielder in the world after Rodri.
De la Fuente?said: “After all the setbacks he went through, Rodri is back at a high level.
“I’ve said before that he is the best in the world, but also on those same occasions [when he was injured] that we are very fortunate.
“After all, in that position, the number six role, we have the two best players in the world: Rodri and Martin [Zubimendi].
“So I will get ahead of a question you are probably going to ask: can they play together? Of course they can play together.
“We can play that way [with a double pivot] perfectly well. In my idea of football, they [Rodri and Zubimendi] may occupy a similar role, but they are different players with different characteristics.
“In fact, Martin is getting into the box more now and scoring goals, but he also has the qualities of a positional player, with balance and outstanding tactical awareness.
“Rodri has those same qualities too, so having them there gives us security, that kind of structure. But at the same time, you have to remember that only 11 can start. Then you would ask me: what about Pedri? And Fermin [Lopez]? And Fabian [Ruiz]?’”
READ NEXT: Salah among the greatest transfer Plan Bs that actually worked out, including Manchester United icons
Arsenal Martin Zubimendi
Related Articles
Subhankar Mondal
Arsenal ‘contact’ Martin Zubimendi and tell him how they’ll ‘reward him’
Martin Zubimendi has been made aware of Arsenal’s plan for his future, as the Spanish star continues to shine for the Gunners.
Arsenal Martin Zubimendi Joe Williams
Arsenal warned against ‘dangerous’ £80m transfer as two Gunners stars will suffer
Arsenal have been warned against selling Martin Odegaard in the summer as Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi will suffer from his exit.
Arsenal Declan Rice Subhankar Mondal
Martin Odegaard says £60m Arsenal teammate is ‘unbelievable’ as Real Madrid ‘regret’ laid bare
The Arsenal captain has raved about a player that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez decided not to sign last summer.
Arsenal Martin Odegaard Editor F365
Arsenal are ‘terrible to watch, attritional and boring’ as Zubimendi form ‘worries’ fans; Ekitike >Isak
The Mailbox insists Arsenal have become ‘terrible to watch, attritional and boring’ under Mikel Arteta this season despite being top of the Premier League.
Mailbox Hugo Ekitike Jason Soutar
Top 10 Premier League signings of the season: Zubimendi, Xhaka, Kudus, Estevao…
Martin Zubimendi is one of three defensive midfielders in our top 10 Premier League signings of 25/26, highlighting the importance of having an elite No.6.
Arsenal Granit Xhaka Sam Cooper
Bollocks to set-pieces, here are the five best open play Premier League goals of the season
Set-pieces and long throws may be trendy but who really gets into football for those? We have the five best open-play Premier League goals of the season.
F365 Features Lucas Paqueta
Latest Football News
Tottenham player-manager one of seven interim ‘options’ to replace Igor Tudor
Ben Davies Harry Redknapp
Tottenham next manager timeframe revealed after Tudor exit as ‘Spurs man’ backed
Igor Tudor
Tottenham confirm Igor Tudor exit and tease ‘new Head Coach’
Igor Tudor Roberto De Zerbi
‘Not Harvard English’ – Toni Kroos confused by Geordie accent as brother Felix hails Newcastle ‘summer’
Toni Kroos
Hungary manager hits out at Arne Slot ‘nonsense’ after telling Liverpool boss ‘not to interfere’
Arne Slot Mailbox
Man Utd ‘in purgatory’ under Carrick as Klopp ‘logic’ dispels top replacement doubts
Michael Carrick
Carrick in or out? Man Utd would be stupid to rush manager decision
Michael Carrick Popular
Rashford, Foden, Gordon to Liverpool proposed as Salah debate rages on
Mohamed Salah Popular
Mo Salah is no Luis Suarez; the Liverpool fan verdict is in
Mohamed Salah Popular Premier League Table Full Table
#
TEAM
P
W
D
L
GD
PTS
View More
Mediawatch
Arsenal star ‘called out’ as Spurs handed ‘huge boost’ and World Cup ‘nightmare’ emerges
Viktor Gyokeres
Arsenal face summer ‘transfer conundrum’ as Mo Salah ‘dream club’ revealed
Mohamed Salah Popular
Salah exit prompts ‘genuine concern’ about Premier League as two Liverpool mysteries solved
Mo Salah Popular
Arsenal season starting to unravel as ‘injury crisis’ hits at ‘worst possible time’
Copyright Notice: The content of this article is contributed by Internet users. The views only represent the author. This site only provides information storage services and does not own ownership or bear relevant legal responsibilities. If you find any suspected infringement or illegal content, please contact us. We will delete it immediately after verification.