Zubimendi Ready For 'new Things' After Year-long Wait To Join Arsenal

Arsenal fans will get to spot their caller midfielder Martin Zubimendi successful action for nan first clip connected Wednesday - 12 months aft nan Gunners first group successful mobility a woody to bring him to nan club.

The 26-year-old, 1 of nan astir highly-rated number sixes successful Europe, played his first minutes for Arsenal successful a down closed doorway friends against Watford past Saturday.

But his first quality successful beforehand of supporters since making a £60m move from Real Sociedad earlier this period is expected to travel against AC Milan successful Singapore.

Zubimendi is simply a sanction that galore shot fans will beryllium acquainted with, having played a cardinal domiciled successful Spain beating England successful nan Euro 2024 final. Last summertime he besides turned down a move to Liverpool.

What was not known astatine that time, however, is that Arsenal were already making moves to unafraid Zubimendi this summertime aft completing a woody for Mikel Merino.

"I deliberation it was a really well-orchestrated scheme by nan club, and everybody that was progressive successful it, to understand really we could get what we wanted successful 2 different years, and some astatine nan aforesaid time," said head Mikel Arteta.

"And some players were very keen to come, which is very necessary. I deliberation we had a nine successful Real Sociedad that understood nan situation, and they've been excellent.

"We did what we wanted and nan players did what we wanted. I deliberation Real Sociedad astatine nan extremity were happy pinch nan outcome, truthful I deliberation it's a very affirmative result for each parties."

Arteta was asked if Zubimendi was going to play much arsenic a six aliases a number 8 and, without hesitation, nan Arsenal head made clear why he has brought Zubimendi to nan club.

"Six. Really excited," he said. "And again arsenic I said earlier erstwhile you person him each azygous day, conscionable astir nan building, conscionable successful training sessions, really he captures nan information, really he processes things connected nan pitch, it's very impressive.

"I'm very, very happy to person him."

Zubimendi says it "wasn't an easy time" for him past summer, trying to determine what was champion for his early during a spell of aggravated transportation speculation.

"The first mobility I had to reply was whether I wanted to time off Real, and it wasn't nan correct time," he explained.

"I felt that Real offered maine much opportunities and that I still had a batch to learn, truthful staying astatine Real was nan champion determination for me."

Zubimendi and Arteta deed it disconnected aft speaking connected nan telephone and nan Spain world says that nan Arsenal manager's "obsession" pinch "details" is 1 of nan reasons why he wanted to subordinate nan club.

"I don't cognize what he saw successful me, but I saw him arsenic 1 of nan apical coaches successful Europe. he explained.

"At nan extremity of nan day, I wanted a value coach erstwhile I near Real Sociedad.

"I deliberation I've recovered him. In nan fewer days I've been here, I've seen really meticulous he is astir each facet of nan game, truthful I deliberation he's nan one."

Zubimendi besides says he is learning "a lot" from his caller boss.

"I deliberation I'm going to effort to do things I didn't do before," he said. "Playing successful that position, I'll effort to bring equilibrium and supply that passing outlet that I'm known for.

"Beyond that, I'm judge he'll inquire maine to do caller things."

Zubimendi was talking to reporters alongside team-mate Merino arsenic portion of Arsenal's distant kit motorboat astatine nan Nova Rooftop successful Singapore.

Despite pursuing Merino to Emirates Stadium, nan brace "didn't speak much" astir nan imaginable of being reunited during their twelvemonth apart.

"I deliberation we were fighting for large things," said Merino, who besides plays alongside Zubimendi pinch Spain. "For maine it was a really reliable play past twelvemonth and he was really focused successful Sociedad.

"Even pinch nan nationalist squad we didn't touch that subject.

"I conjecture I was only focused connected my thing. I was asking him really he was doing astatine Sociedad, but we didn't talk astir our future."

The signing of Zubimendi alongside Christian Norgaard from Brentford intends that Merino will person a bigger conflict to get into nan starting XI, pinch Declan Rice and skipper Martin Odegaard besides playing successful nan aforesaid area of nan pitch.

"It's unbelievable nan magnitude of value and talent that we have, not only successful nan midfield but successful nan full squad," said Merino. "I deliberation this is simply a great, awesome point to have.

"It's not only pushing each different successful each training convention and each crippled to get better, but arsenic well, we saw past year, and we person examples now, really important it is to person a agelong squad pinch each subordinate available.

"Because injuries tin happen, because rotations request to happen. Hopefully this play we tin show that we are a beardown squad."

Zubimendi is simply a connection signing for nan Gunners and it is hoped he tin beryllium nan catalyst to thief nan nine to statesman a caller era of winning trophies aft coming truthful adjacent successful caller seasons.

"I dream so," said Zubimendi. "The astir important point astir this nine is that they study from erstwhile seasons.

"I deliberation nan lessons they've learned from really past play ended will beryllium cardinal to getting moreover person to this year's targets.

"Ultimately, I judge that shot comes down to details, particularly successful nan Champions League.

"I consciousness that Arsenal were nan only squad successful that semi-final who genuinely stood up to PSG [Paris St-Germain], and they fto it gaffe because of insignificant details.

"I besides work together pinch Merino that it's a agelong season, and injuries play an important role, truthful nan less we have, nan better."