Martin Zubimendi has visited London Colney, with the official announcement of his transfer to Arsenal being prepared and rumours circling about his new shirt number.
MUNICH, GERMANY: Martin Zubimendi of Spain celebrates scoring his team's first goal the UEFA Nations League 2025 final match between Portugal and Spain at Munich Football Arena on June 08, 2025. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images
The BBC’s Sami Mokbel reported on Saturday that Martin Zubimendi had visited Arsenal’s training facilities at London Colney ahead of his transfer from Real Sociedad. Mokbel added that the formalities were being completed ahead of the official announcement.
Fabrizio Romano confirmed the visit to London Colney, adding that Zubimendi also spoke with Mikel Arteta. Romano wrote that the official statement is now being prepared as the “final step of the story”.
SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN: Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Samu Costa of RCD Mallorca during the LaLiga match between Real Sociedad and RCD Mallorca at Reale Arena on April 12, 2025. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images
One of the formalities to sort out would have been Zubimendi’s shirt number at his new club, and there’s been an update on that front from Charles Watts.
Watts reports on his YouTube channel that he’s heard from a source that Zubimendi will take 36 at Arsenal, one of the numbers he previously wore with Real Sociedad.
Though the journalist stressed that he hasn’t been able to 100% confirm the rumour, he added that the claim was from a reliable source and he’d put his confidence in the high-nineties.
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK: Martín Zubimendi of Spain in action during the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League A Group A4 match between Denmark and Spain at on November 15, 2024. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
David Ornstein confirmed earlier this week that Zubimendi had arrived in London, and Fabrizio Romano then claimed all the paperwork was done and signed.
Arsenal are reportedly set to pay a fee of around €64-65m (£54.8-55.7m) to acquire the midfielder. Zubimendi has a release clause of €60m, but the Gunners agreed to pay extra for a more favourable payment plan.
Paying the release clause would mean offering up the entire €60m upfront, but the Gunners will now instead be able to send the money in instalments over the coming years.
There’s been some speculation that Arsenal are delaying the official announcement until July for financial reasons, allowing both themselves and Real Sociedad to include it in their 2025/26 accounts. But confirmation is clearly very close now.
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