Arsenal Football Club is eyeing Martin Zubimendi, a promising young talent regarded as one of the world’s best holding midfielders. The club sees bringing him on board as a way to significantly improve their midfield options. The team genuinely wants to increase its competitiveness. They do this pursuit as they try to succeed in both domestic and European competitions.
Zubimendi, who now plays for Real Sociedad, has made waves for his brilliant tool belt. And yet, he is still an outstanding passer. He’s phenomenal at making the right decision on the ball, the kind of qualities that are found in only one player every few years. His style of play has some people drawing comparisons to Xabi Alonso. He’s incredibly good at the game tempo and controlling the game. Arsenal’s interest in Zubimendi aligns with their strategy of signing players who can improve the team’s performance.
The midfielder’s growth trajectory has been impressive. After initially undergoing trials with Real Sociedad but not signing immediately, he quickly established himself as a key player in the youth ranks. Zubimendi By his second year as an Under-16, Zubimendi’s talents exploded. In doing so, he laid out an undeniable case to become known as the greatest of all time.
A Unique Skill Set
What makes Martin Zubimendi stand out from the majority of midfielders is that he has four, oft overlooked, characteristics. Of course, it all comes down to his passing accuracy—seriously, it’s astonishing, boasting an 84.23% completion percentage. This striking statistic is a reflection of his willingness to roll the dice. Therefore, he is able to play more advanced, progressive passes than anyone of his compatriots in La Liga this season.
Yet he has a tremendous instinct for putting a greater share of his deliveries into a more aggressive, forwards direction. This production dwarfs the likes of big names such as Thomas Partey, Jorginho and Declan Rice. In particular, Zubimendi has a forward passing percentage of 31.49%, showcasing his progressive mindset with playmaking.
Zubimendi’s passing ability is reminiscent of Xabi Alonso’s, a player he had the privilege of being coached by during his time with Real Sociedad’s B team. His technical style mirrors a bit of Alonso’s temperament and vision with the ball. It is these attributes that have seen him develop a reputation as one of the game’s best holding midfielders.
“He reminds me a lot of Alonso, who had great success in the Premier League, and he is also very, very good tactically.” – Carlos Martinez
A Strong Foundation
His career has been largely defined by his development in Real Sociedad’s world-renowned academy, La Fabrica. As he developed, he gained in both confidence and size, developing well to the rigours of the higher strata of football. His coaches have noted how he stepped into more senior teams seamlessly, playing alongside older and more experienced players without showing signs of intimidation.
His discipline and seriousness towards training and matches have won him great respect from the club as well. And as one of his coaches, Aitor Zulaika, recently noted, there’s never been a question about Zubimendi’s work ethic or focus. It was apparent from the very beginning that he was serious about the business of getting better at his craft.
“He was a very disciplined guy who was very serious about his work.” – Aitor Zulaika
His ability to “let his feet do his talking” shows just how mature of a player he is. He did not need a lot of words. Instead, his performances were his greatest rhetoric. This quality has made him stand out enough to earn a spot on teams where he’s competing with household freaking names.
Rising to the Occasion
A clarifying touchstone in Zubimendi’s fledgling career took place when Spain was defending its European Championship title against England in this past summer’s final. When Rodri picked up an injury, Zubimendi stepped up and came on at half-time. He was instrumental in the team’s success, and he proved that he shines under pressure.
His ability to stay cool under pressure and deliver in the big moments has really stood out to coaches and teammates so far this year. One of Zubimendi’s coaches told my colleagues that Zubimendi exudes extreme composure when making decisions defensively. This quality too often separates him from the rest of the sophomore class. He always tries to play aggressively and make game-changing plays.
“You saw how willing he was to take the ball, to drive forward, to be brave. He just has so much confidence in his ability.” – Carlos Martinez
Zubimendi’s blend of humility and talent marks him out as the kind of player Arsenal love to chase. Like TFC, they too are intent on the idea of creating a dominant enough squad to win championships. Zubimendi is a key player in their teaser long-term plan.
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