Decoding the stats of Arsenal's new midfield signing Martin Zubimendi
What's the story
On Sunday, July 6, Arsenal officially announced the signing of Spanish midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad. The deal, which is worth £51 million, was agreed upon in March after the Gunners triggered his release clause. Zubimendi has signed a five-year contract and will wear the number 36 shirt at the Emirates Stadium. Here we present the midfielder's crunch career stats.
Transfer details
Zubimendi had rejected Liverpool in the summer of 2024
Zubimendi's move to Arsenal comes after a summer of speculation. Last year, he rejected Liverpool's advances to stay with Real Sociedad after winning Euro 2024 with Spain. The Gunners had identified him as their top target last summer, knowing that midfielders Jorginho and Thomas Partey were in the final year of their contracts. Both players have since left the club this summer.
Manager influence
How Arteta convinced Zubimendi
As per reports, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta played a key role in convincing Zubimendi to join the club. The midfielder's former Real Sociedad teammate Mikel Merino, who joined the Gunners for £31.6 million in August 2024, also influenced his decision. Despite interest from clubs like Liverpool and Real Madrid, Zubimendi chose Arsenal as his next destination due to their playing style and potential.
Player profile
A look at his career stats and accolades with Sociedad
Zubimendi has spent his entire career at Real Sociedad, making 236 appearances after coming through their academy. He scored 10 times for Sociedad in these 236 matches. Notably, 180 of his appearances came in La Liga. He scored 9 times and made six assists. Last season, he made 48 appearances in all competitions. He scored two goals and made an assist. The only piece of silverware he won with Sociedad is the Copa del Rey in 2019-20.
La Liga 2024-25
Breaking down his La Liga 2024-25 campaign in stats
Zubimendi made 36 La Liga appearances last season, scoring twice and making an assist. As per Squawka Comparison Matrix (data by Opta), the midfielder clocked 18 shots (excluding blocks) with 8 of them on target. He owned a passing accuracy of 84.42%, completing 1,479 of 1,752 passes. He completed 23 lay-offs and 2 through balls. Zubimendi made 73 tackles, completed 19 take-ons and won 164 duels. He had 63 touches in the opposition box.
Twitter Post
A new Gunner!
Controlling the tempo.
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 6, 2025
Martin Zubimendi is a Gunner ✊
Original music by Ezra Collective's Femi Koleoso. pic.twitter.com/sYbDanRUnT