Martin Zubimendi will not move to Real Madrid and has already made up his mind about his next destination when he leaves Real Sociedad this summer.
After Xabi Alonso took over at Real Madrid, Zubimendi was immediately linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabéu, courtesy of the Spanish coach’s wishes.
At the same time, the Basque player had a preliminary agreement with Arsenal months ago, and it was reported that he backed out to fulfill his dream of playing for Real Madrid.
However, The Athletic put an end to the controversy by confirming that Zubimendi stuck to his agreement with Arsenal and decided to join the Gunners and nothing else.
The 26-year-old is expected to travel to London in the next few hours, where he will undergo a medical and officially sign his contract with Arsenal.
Although Zubimendi’s release clause with Real Sociedad is €60 million, Arsenal will likely pay more than that to the Basque club due to the special relationship between the two clubs, which will result in the Gunners paying the amount in installments.
Zubemendi is considered one of the most prominent midfielders in the world in recent years and was close to joining Liverpool last summer before rejecting the offer at the last minute.
With Zubimendi’s impending departure from Real Madrid, Los Blancos will look for another player to bolster their midfield, most likely Stuttgart’s Angelo Stieler.
