Arsenal
Arsenal have firmly turned down a late bid to sign Martin Zubimendi, even as pressure grew on deadline day. Reports linked Chelsea strongly with the Spaniard, as per the latest transfer news. Even so, the Blues’ hunt for fresh midfield options moved elsewhere fast.
Martin Zubimendi Approach Rejected by Arsenal
As reported by The Sun, Arsenal turned down an approach from Chelsea for Martin Zubimendi. The Gunners made their stance clear. Selling a key player to a rival made little sense. Deadline day talk often turns out to be noise, but this one had real weight, given Chelsea’s midfield gap. That firmness ended any hope of a late deal before the window shut.
Xabi Alonso has long admired the player. Both grew up in San Sebastian, coming through the same boyhood club Antiguoko Kirol Elkartea. Alonso pursued him strongly during his Real Madrid days, but the deal collapsed, and he signed for Arsenal instead. Their paths were always likely to cross again, and this window brought that interest back into view.
Despite that history, Arsenal were not willing to talk this time. The club feels he still has a big role this season. Letting a title-winning midfielder leave for a Premier League rival made no sense. Arteta’s plans depend heavily on his experience in central midfield. Few at the club were ready to risk moving on without him this season.
Martin Zubimendi for Arsenal in 2025/26, as per FOTMOB:
Competitions Matches Goals Assists Chances Created
Premier League 38 5 1 19
FA Cup 3 0 0 2
EFL Cup 3 1 0 4
UCL 13 0 2 17
Chelsea Midfield Search Continues
The club’s search for cover began as they worked to seal Enzo Fernandez’s exit to Manchester City. Chelsea value the Argentine at more than £120million. He is also keen to reunite with old boss Enzo Maresca in Manchester. Losing him without a ready replacement in place always looked risky, so the search for cover quickly turned urgent.
With time running out, the Blues looked at several other names. Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White and Tottenham’s Lucas Bergvall both drew interest late in the window. Monaco also turned down a £38.5million bid for Lamine Camara before the deadline hit. None of those routes moved fast enough, adding to the strain building around Stamford Bridge.
Blues officials also discussed a move for Roma’s Manu Kone, as well as an approach for Bournemouth’s Alex Scott. Neither route progressed quickly, and the rebuild stayed unsettled deep into deadline day. For the Blues, time ran out as the **football**season crept closer. The club now faces a tense wait before it can resolve its midfield situation.
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Martin Zubimendi Remains Key for Arteta
Mikel Arteta has been open about Martin Zubimendi’s value to the squad. He credited the midfielder with a big role in last season’s Premier League title win. He also praised his work across ten tough months of matches. Few inside the club see him as easy to replace right now, especially with the Champions League also on the horizon.
“Zubi without a doubt was one of the best players for Arsenal last season,” Arteta said. The Arsenal boss added that the team would not have got over the line without his input. That effort came during a long, hard campaign, and it underlines his standing at the club.
That praise explains why Arsenal held firm despite Chelsea’s interest. With the market now shut, Martin Zubimendi stays put in north London, and Arteta’s plans remain intact. His future looks settled as another tough football campaign gets underway. Chelsea, meanwhile, will have to look elsewhere for a solution instead.
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