In an ideal world for Arsenal they would have the Martin Zubimendi transfer completed and announced by now. After months of work, and the Gunners being successful with that, there will be lingering doubt until the transfer gets over the line.
That’s partly because of what happened with Liverpool last season, when the midfielder changed his mind and decided to stay with Real Sociedad, and partly because there’s been murmurs in Spain that Real Madrid are looking at the situation again.
Wednesday saw claims of a medical being scheduled in London, and that was refuted by a local Basque report, although it was still stated Zubimendi is expected to sign for Arsenal.
Now Real Sociedad themselves are putting the public brakes on, doing so at an unrelated press conference today to present new sporting director Erik Bretos and manager Sergio Francisco.
ElDesmarque quote La Real president Jokin Aperribay as saying: “We’ve told Martin to go to the national team calmly, to think about it, and we’d like him to stay. We know there are several options. Something may come to fruition or not… I don’t see it happening in the short term. We don’t see it that way, so we have to wait and see.”
Over at Diario Vasco they have similar quotes, and it’s thought there’s multiple clubs in for the player, however, again it’s Arsenal pushed out in front.
Bretos, in some of his first words in the job for Real Sociedad, added: “I would love for him to stay at Real Sociedad, and our duty is to find solutions in case he leaves. What he did has stuck with me.”
The latter part of that quote relates to Zubimendi ultimately turning Liverpool down last year.
On Wednesday, we covered an article from La Real’s local media which explained the Basque club may try and delay any Zubimendi transfer until July so they can include the money on next year’s accounts.