Martin Zubimendi appeared to take a subtle swipe at Liverpool following his confirmed switch to Arsenal, with the Spanish midfielder having been close to joining the Reds last summer before a dramatic change of heart led him to north London. An image had even surfaced purporting to show him donning a Liverpool kit ahead of a move; however, Arsenal’s interest ultimately swayed his decision.
Liverpool had eyed Zubimendi as one of their initial signings under new boss Arne Slot, succeeding Jurgen Klopp in the Anfield managerial role. But Arsenal’s late entry into the fray saw them meet the midfielder’s £51million buyout clause, culminating in a deal by the end of May.
Following the official announcement from Arsenal, Zubimendi expressed his enthusiasm for the move. “This is a huge moment in my career,” he told the Arsenal website. “It’s the move I was looking for and one I wanted to make. As soon as you set foot here, you realise how big this club and this team are.
“I set my sights on Arsenal because their style of play is a good fit for me. They have shown their potential recently and the best is yet to come.”
Arsenal’s new signing Zubimendi is poised to become an integral part of the Gunners’ midfield, with sights set on improving on last season’s narrow miss of a Champions League final spot after their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, reports the Express. The seasoned 26-year-old midfielder will be hoping to make his Premier League bow in Arsenal’s opening match against Manchester United in mid-August.
Following that, he’s expected to make his Emirates Stadium league debut when Arsenal takes on Leeds six days later. Mikel Arteta hailed the signing, saying: “Martin is a player who will bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence to our team.
“He will fit in really well and he has all the attributes to be a key player for us. The standard he has consistently performed at over the last few seasons for both club and country is exactly why we are so excited to have him with us. We all welcome Martin and his family to the club.”
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