Martin Zubimendi arrived at Arsenal in the summer of 2025 as one of the most coveted midfielders in Europe. Barely a year later, he’s warming the bench while the Gunners’ midfield picture gets redrawn around him — and Real Madrid are watching very closely indeed.
What’s Happening at Arsenal
According to a report from TEAMtalk, cited by The Hard Tackle, Zubimendi is determined to fight for his place at Arsenal rather than push for an immediate exit. However, there’s a crucial caveat: should his situation at the Emirates fail to improve, the Spanish international would be open to evaluating his options, potentially as soon as a January 2027 window.
The trigger for all of this is no mystery. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta moved decisively in the transfer market to sign Bruno Guimarães, and the Brazilian’s arrival has reshuffled the midfield pecking order in a way that has left Zubimendi on the fringes. To make matters worse for the Spaniard, Myles Lewis-Skelly — a product of the Arsenal academy — has seized the moment, starting the last four games across all competitions this season, including three Premier League outings. Zubimendi, meanwhile, has come off the bench in each of those matches. The academy kid even started the UEFA Champions League final at the back end of last season when Zubimendi’s form dipped in the final stretch of the campaign.
Arteta has publicly backed his compatriot, insisting that Zubimendi remains a key part of his plans and that he expects to use him significantly as the season progresses. The Spanish coach’s position is that this is a squad-depth conversation, not a signal that the £60 million signing is surplus to requirements. Arsenal themselves ruled out any sale during the final weeks of the summer window, and their valuation — understandably, given that investment — would demand a premium fee for anyone wanting to prise him away.
Where Real Madrid Come In
For us at RMxtra, the interesting thread in this story is the role Real Madrid could yet play. The report states that Los Blancos were monitoring Zubimendi’s situation during the final stages of the summer window, and that interest stemmed directly from the club losing Rodri — who has since moved to Barcelona, adding a particularly bitter edge to the whole saga. Zubimendi, a composed, technically excellent deep-lying midfielder in a similar mould to Rodri, was identified as a potential solution to fill that void.
It’s also worth noting that Chelsea, now under the management of Xabi Alonso, are in the mix too. Alonso himself reportedly pursued Zubimendi while he was still at Real Madrid last summer, so there’s an established connection there. The Blues are said to view the 24-year-old as a potential long-term replacement for Enzo Fernández.
Real Madrid’s midfield situation heading into 2026-27 is one that the club’s hierarchy will have been monitoring carefully. Losing a player of Rodri’s stature — whether through injury, departure, or in this timeline, a move to a direct rival — creates a structural gap that younger options in the squad may not yet be ready to fill on a consistent basis. A player of Zubimendi’s profile: disciplined, intelligent, comfortable controlling tempo at the highest level, would address precisely that need.
What This Means for Madridistas
Right now, this is a story to monitor rather than celebrate. Zubimendi isn’t pushing for the exit door, Arsenal aren’t selling, and Real Madrid haven’t made a formal move. But football doesn’t always stay tidy. If Zubimendi continues to be used as a rotation option rather than a regular starter over the coming months, his resolve to stay and fight could shift — and that’s when things get very interesting for clubs circling from the outside.
The January window is only a few months away. If Zubimendi’s minutes don’t improve and his frustration grows, Real Madrid’s groundwork in monitoring the situation could give them a head start. For a club that prides itself on long-term planning and landing top-tier midfield talent, this is exactly the type of situation Los Blancos have historically been very good at capitalising on.
Watch this space. Zubimendi wants to make it work at Arsenal — but Real Madrid, and plenty of others, are ready if he changes his mind.
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