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Arsenal are reportedly on the verge of completing a deal for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, with the Daily Mail claiming that the Gunners are ready to formally trigger his €60 million (£51 million) release clause.

This development comes after Liverpool’s long-standing interest in the Spanish international failed to materialize into a transfer last summer, leaving Arsenal poised to secure one of Europe’s most sought-after midfielders.

Liverpool’s interest in Zubimendi dates back to the summer of 2024 when the Reds identified him as their primary target to bolster the defensive midfield under Arne Slot.

The club was prepared to meet the 25-year-old’s release clause and had reportedly agreed on personal terms with the player.

However, in a dramatic twist, Zubimendi chose to remain at his boyhood club, Real Sociedad, citing his loyalty to the Basque side and his desire to continue his development in Spain.

This decision left Liverpool scrambling for alternatives, but it also underscored the challenges of prying players away from clubs with deep cultural ties.

Zubimendi’s decision was influenced by Sociedad’s emotional appeal and his own belief that staying would benefit his career progression.

Despite this setback, Liverpool have since found success in their midfield with Ryan Gravenberch excelling in a deeper role, alongside Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister.

But it now seems that claims this week of Martin Zubimendi joining Arsenal at the end of the campaign have been premature.

Martin Zubimendi ‘tired’ of Arsenal and Liverpool rumours

Spanish outlet AS has offered a dissenting view that Zubimendi and Arsenal are in advanced negotiations – or that he will join the Gunners at the end of the season as reported by the Daily Mail.

AS assert that at the moment, there is ‘nothing’ with Martin Zubimendi and a potential transfer away from his boyhood club – with the report going as far as to state that the 25-year-old is growing tired of all the rumours and gossip.

The Euro 2024 winner is said to not know anything any offers from other clubs and ‘much less’ about talk of a farewell as cited by English reports this week.

AS add:

“It is not lost on anyone that he is a highly sought-after player in European football and it will not be easy to keep him at the club until the year in which his current contract expires.”

“But that does not mean that he is going to leave now in January or that his departure is already decided next summer.”

“These are scenarios that are complicated, even more so if you take into account what happened last summer, with the Liverpool super offer he rejected.”

“And especially because the news coming from the United Kingdom with Zubimendi is constant, to the point that the player from San Sebastian is tired of so many rumours and gossip?

Because at the moment there is nothing.”

Seeing a former target join a direct Premier League rival will undoubtedly sting.

But for now, it seems that Arsenal interest may have been slightly inflated by reports in the UK media.

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