Arsenal completed their first major signing of the summer transfer window on Sunday, with the capture of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.
The Spain international has put pen to paper on a five-year contract for a fee of around £60m.
Zubimendi will join up with his new teammates when they report for pre-season, but what does his arrival mean for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers?
We take a look in this Scout Report.
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THE QUOTES
“I set my sights on Arsenal because their style of play is a good fit for me. They have shown their potential recently and the best is yet to come.” – Martin Zubimendi
“Martin is a player who will bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence to our team. He will fit in really well and he has all the attributes to be a key player for us. The standard he has consistently performed at over the last few seasons for both club and country is exactly why we are so excited to have him with us. We all welcome Martin and his family to the club.” – Mikel Arteta on Martin Zubimendi
THE HISTORY + STATS
| Season | Starts (sub) | Mins | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 33 (3) | 2,962 | 2 | 1 |
| 2023/24 | 29 (2) | 2,655 | 4 | 1 |
| 2022/23 | 35 (1) | 3,102 | 1 | 3 |
| 2021/22 | 26 (10) | 2,587 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020/21 | 17 (14) | 1,873 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019/20 | 6 (3) | 572 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018/19 | 0 (1) | 6 | 0 | 0 |
*La Liga only
Born in San Sebastien, Zubimendi came through Real Sociedad’s famed academy and went on to play 180 league matches for the Basque club, scoring a modest nine goals and providing six assists.
In April 2021, he helped Sociedad win the Copa del Rey.
He also has experience in Europe, having participated in both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
Now a full Spain international, Zubimendi has made 19 senior appearances for La Roja, with two goals, most recently in the UEFA Nations League final defeat to Portugal.
He also won the European Championship with Spain in 2024, coming on as a half-time substitute to help his country defeat England 2-1 in the final.
THE UNDERLYING NUMBERS
Zubimendi isn’t much of a goal threat, simply because he is primarily a deep-lying midfielder.
Above: Martin Zubimendi’s season heatmap in La Liga 2024/25, via SofaScore
Last season in La Liga, he averaged just 0.7 shots per 90 minutes (p90).
What the Spaniard provides, however, is a superb passing range, accompanied by an abundance of technical ability.
Among midfielders in 2024/25, Zubimendi ranked fourth in La Liga for passes (1,752) and successful passes (1,479).
His 238 line-breaking passes was only bettered by three midfielders, too, an important quality when trying to break down low blocks.
Those numbers probably won’t translate into many assists for Zubimendi, given his average of only 0.6 key passes per 90 last season, but it should make Arsenal a better team.
Out of possession, Zubimendi will help prevent counter-attacks, given that he was one of La Liga’s most effective midfielders for interceptions (44) and total tackles (73) in 2024/25.
“Rodri is the best midfielder in the world, but Zubimendi is the second best. Martin gives you everything you ask for and has a fantastic talent. He’s a guarantee, totally reliable. He always plays calmly, unhurried and every decision is the right one.” – Spain manager Luis de la Fuente on Martin Zubimendi
WHERE DOES ZUBIMENDI FIT IN AT ARSENAL – AND WILL HE MAKE RICE + ODEGAARD MORE ATTACKING?
Zubimendi serves as the link between the defence and the midfield.
Arsenal have already lost Jorginho and Thomas Partey this summer, so a No 6 role is likely, with Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice positioned on either side:
Graphic from Lineup Builder
Given Zubimendi’s ability to carry the ball and play quick, line-breaking passes, it should allow Odegaard and Rice to receive the ball higher up the pitch.
From there, they can drive forward, confident that the Spaniard has control of the midfield.
Additionally, Odegaard and Rice should not be required to drop back quite so often next season, a task they frequently undertook in 2024/25 to help Arsenal build up from the back.
It’s reasonable to suggest both players can improve their Fantasy output as a result of Zubimendi’s arrival, then.
IS ZUBIMENDI WORTH BUYING IN FPL?
Given his paucity of attacking returns, Zubimendi will hold little interest as a Fantasy asset.
But the appeal of Odegaard and Rice should take a turn for the better, with the Spaniard’s passing ability allowing Arsenal to arrive in the final third much quicker.
That should also help the Gunners break down teams that sit deep, a long-standing issue.
Furthermore, Zubimendi’s addition in front of the back four suggests Arsenal will again be amongst the more resilient Premier League sides, having finished joint-second for clean sheets last term with 13.
This, in turn, should bode well for the prospects of David Raya, Gabriel Magalhaes and company.
Zubimendi should settle quickly, given that he has already played alongside Odegaard and Mikel Merino for Real Sociedad. Raya and Kepa Arrizabalaga will also be familiar to him from the Spain national team.
“I’m happy to be here with them. I’ve played many games alongside Merino over the years. It’s important because it will make the transition much easier for me, and I’m sure they’ll be a great help.” – Martin Zubimendi
Looking at the opening schedule, Arsenal have some tricky fixtures to start the season, giving us plenty of time to assess Mikel Arteta’s tactics and intentions.
But if Odegaard and Rice are granted more offensive freedom, expect interest to quickly ramp up in Gameweek 7, which coincides with the start of Arsenal’s ticker-topping run.
