Micah Richards believes Arsenal have now added a player to their ranks who is similar to a crucial member of the Manchester City squad.
The Gunners have gone big during the summer transfer window as Mikel Arteta looks to put a squad together that can eventually win the Premier League title after finishing second three years in a row.
The board at Man City are believed to have concerns about Arsenal’s transfer business, which may force the Manchester club to sign more players before the window shuts on Monday.
Pep Guardiola may be worried about one new arrival at the Emirates Stadium, as Richards thinks the player could be similar to Rodri.
Rodri in action for Manchester City.
Photo by Luciano Bisbal/Getty Images
Martin Zubimendi could be similar to Rodri at Man City
Arsenal acquired Martin Zubimendi this summer from Real Sociedad, and the signing of the Spaniard is seen as a big coup, as the midfielder was also wanted by Man City and Liverpool.
Guardiola wanted to sign Zubimendi in January; however, a deal was never done for the 26-year-old, which opened up the door for the Spain international to move to North London.
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Speaking about Arsenal’s new man, Richards thinks the midfielder could be similar to Rodri in the Premier League, even though their styles are different.
“Yeah, I would say in that holding role, but he can play a little bit further forward as well. I think he’s going to be, do you remember when Rodri first came to Manchester City? I was looking at him and thinking, he’s not really Busquets or anything like that,” Richards said on The Rest Is Football.
“Took him a while to get settled into the Premier League and know exactly what the team wanted. I thought he was a little bit slow on the turn, but he uses his brain better than anyone else.
“After four or five months, he was just exceptional in terms of reading the game, the way of passing, and knowing where to be for the counterattack.
“He just mastered everything so quickly. Zubimendi is a little bit different because he’s not got the stature of a Rodri in terms of size, but his technical ability on the ball and his know-how is very good. I think at times, coming from Sociedad to the Premier League is always going to be tough.
“I remember when David Silva first came over from the league, and he was saying, it’s just relentless, but those sort of players find a way.”
Rodri has developed into the best player in the world in his position ever since moving to the Etihad Stadium as part of a £63m deal in 2019, evident in the Man City star winning the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
If Zubimendi can be half as good as his international teammate with Arsenal, the 26-year-old will have a great career in England, where he hopes to be the difference in the Gunners winning trophies.
Martin Zubimendi in action during Manchester United v Arsenal.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
How Martin Zubimendi compares to Rodri
Rodri is a player Zubimendi knows very well, having spent time together with the Spanish national team. The 26-year-old will know that the Man City star is different to him, as the 29-year-old is stronger, better defensively, and can make a real difference in the final third at times.
The Arsenal star is more of a tempo-setter who is very composed on the ball and likes to keep things moving from his deep-lying midfield position.
Rodri (23/24) Metric Martin Zubimendi (24/25)
8 Goals 2
9 Assists 1
62 Shots 24
92.5% Pass Accuaracy 84.4%
49 Chances Created 19
42 Successful Dribbles 19
201 Duels Won 37
26 Interceptions 44
235 Recoveries 140
31 Dribbled past 16
Rodri’s 23/24 Premier League stats compared to Martin Zubimendi’s 24/25 La Liga campaign
Zubimendi is unlikely to have the same impact at Arsenal as Rodri has had at Man City, but that is a very high bar for the 26-year-old to reach.
Arsenal have undoubtedly got themselves a very good player, and only time will tell how much of a success he will be in the Premier League.