Zubimendi offered to Real Madrid in potential Endrick swap

A wild one has landed in the rumour mill, Madridistas. Intermediaries have reportedly approached Real Madrid with the possibility of signing Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi — and there’s a twist. According to a report from TEAMtalk, those same intermediaries have floated the idea that a Zubimendi deal could act as a stepping stone for Arsenal to pursue Endrick. Yes, really.

What’s the deal here?

Zubimendi, 27, made the £60 million move from Real Sociedad to Arsenal back in July 2025. His debut season was solid enough — 57 appearances, over 4,000 minutes, six goals and three assists. But things have soured considerably since. The Spanish international has been overtaken in the Emirates pecking order by Bruno Guimarães, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Declan Rice, and this season he’s managed a meagre 380 minutes across just 12 outings. That’s a sharp fall from grace for someone who arrived with such fanfare.

That lack of playing time is exactly what has opened the door for intermediaries to pitch him elsewhere — and Real Madrid are the club they’ve knocked on. Los Blancos have tracked Zubimendi for years, dating back to his days impressing at Real Sociedad. The Merengues have been searching for a proper holding midfielder ever since missing out on Rodri, and the gap left by the retirements and departures of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric has never really been filled to satisfaction. Zubimendi’s profile — composure in possession, clean passing lines, disciplined defensive work — ticks a lot of boxes for what Carlo Ancelotti’s successors need in the engine room.

The Endrick angle

Here’s where it gets spicy. Arsenal have reportedly had Endrick on their radar for a sustained period, seeing the 20-year-old Brazilian as a potential solution on the left side of their attack — or even as a centre-forward alternative. The TEAMtalk report suggests that intermediaries have “floated the idea” that Zubimendi heading to Madrid could grease the wheels for Endrick heading to north London.

Real Madrid, for their part, have shown no desire to sell Endrick. The club has always maintained that the young Brazilian is a long-term project, and his raw talent — even if first-team minutes have been carefully managed — means Madrid are extremely reluctant to let him go. Any suggestion that he’s available will be met with serious scepticism at the Bernabéu.

It’s also worth noting that Zubimendi himself has not asked to leave Arsenal. The report acknowledges that the player remains publicly committed to the Gunners, which complicates any potential move significantly.

How seriously should we take this?

Honestly? With a hefty pinch of salt — at least for now. This is intermediary-driven speculation at the earliest possible stage. There’s no indication Real Madrid have made any formal approach, and the idea of Endrick being used as a makeweight is the kind of thing that sounds exciting on paper but faces enormous practical and footballing hurdles. Madrid don’t need to sell Endrick, and they certainly wouldn’t do so cheaply.

That said, the underlying logic around Zubimendi isn’t completely far-fetched. Madrid do need midfield reinforcement, the player’s situation at Arsenal is genuinely difficult, and his profile genuinely fits what the club needs. Watch this space — but don’t book the parade just yet.

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