SINGAPORE — Distinguished already in Arsenal‘s messaging for the 2025-26 season has been the phrase “new heights.” Defender Gabriel Magalhães used it in an interview final week to explain their ambition to finish a five-year look ahead to silverware, and supervisor Mikel Arteta employed it throughout his opening information convention on the membership’s preseason tour to Asia. The membership’s away package launch on Monday befell, appropriately sufficient, at NOVA Rooftop in Singapore, the best bar above sea stage within the nation.
It’s, in fact, a extra intentionally circumspect message than “end first,” which in actuality is the one tangible enchancment Arsenal could make after three consecutive second-place finishes within the Premier League. Discovering a brand new method to say the identical factor is rarely straightforward.
Arguably the most important trigger for contemporary optimism — at the least till striker Viktor Gyökeres completes his more and more protracted transfer from Sporting CP — is the arrival of Martín Zubimendi from Real Sociedad. It’s a £51 million switch which the Gunners are notably happy with for plenty of causes, not least the notable coup in beating Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid to his signature.
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The deal was additionally the fruits of a two-year technique whereby Arsenal plotted to signal Mikel Merino final summer time and Zubimendi on this switch window. The Spain worldwide appeared destined for Liverpool in 2024 earlier than opting to stay at La Actual, creating a gap for the Gunners to execute their plan of luring each midfielders to north London. The pair now sit alongside one another in Arsenal blue, taking in Singapore’s dramatic night-time skyline with Zubimendi reflecting on his new environment.
“It wasn’t a straightforward time for me as a result of, I needed to remain at Actual, however when affords are available in, you begin serious about your choices,” mentioned Zubimendi, talking in Spanish — two English classes every week are serving to him enhance however his confidence is not fairly there but.
“The primary query I needed to reply was whether or not I needed to depart Actual, and it wasn’t the suitable time. I felt that Actual provided me extra alternatives and that I nonetheless had so much to study, so staying at Actual was the most effective choice for me.”
Signing two gamers from one membership throughout two summers is a extremely uncommon switch strategy. It was difficult by the abrupt departure of sporting director Edu and later his assistant Jason Ayto, the pair who devised the preliminary plan. Andrea Berta arrived as Edu’s substitute in March and that was across the time Zubimendi lastly dedicated to Arsenal, though the deal needed to survive late curiosity for Actual Madrid after Xabi Alonso changed Carlo Ancelotti on the Bernabéu.
“I feel it was a very well-orchestrated plan by the membership, and all people that was concerned in it, to grasp how we may get what we needed in two totally different years, and each on the similar time,” Arteta defined.
“There’s all the time a second — I am not concerned and doubtless they do not inform me when it will get actually troublesome! However while you really feel that … we’re satisfied, initially ourselves, after which we go to the participant, the participant says right away, ‘yeah, that is precisely what I need to do,’ the agent is giving you a similar impression, you usually tend to get the deal over the road.
“When a type of three components is a bit ‘uh-uh’ [unsure], these items get a bit extra difficult. However from this case I used to be all the time very, very optimistic about it.”
That wasn’t how Merino felt. “To be sincere we have been actually targeted on our current, every of us,” mentioned the midfielder, who’s as soon as once more Zubimendi’s teammate for membership and nation. “I feel we have been combating for giant issues. For me it was a very robust season final 12 months and he was actually targeted on Sociedad so we did not communicate a lot about it to be sincere.
“Even with the nationwide staff we did not contact that topic. I assume I used to be solely targeted on my factor. I used to be asking him how he was doing at Sociedad however we did not discuss our future. However clearly I am actually glad for him to be right here and hopefully we are able to hold constructing our story collectively on this nice membership.
“I wasn’t certain about it however clearly coming to Arsenal is all the time thrilling. It is a large membership, an enormous membership. I feel that is why he is right here as properly as a result of this membership supplies you with the suitable environment to construct huge issues, to struggle for the large titles.
“Now we have the suitable angle, a very hungry group and I feel it is superb. However clearly now this 12 months with him right here it is nice to have him as a result of now we have a very good relationship. We have been collectively for a very long time now and I am actually glad.”
Positional flexibility is one thing Arteta typically prefers in his signings, however the coach was clear about Zubimendi’s function additional again within the midfield.
“He’s a [number] six,” Arteta mentioned. “Actually excited. When you have got him each single day, simply across the constructing, simply in coaching periods, how he captures the knowledge, how he processes issues on the pitch, it’s totally spectacular. So I am very, very glad to have him.”
Zubimendi thrived as a No. 6 for Actual Sociedad final season. In LaLiga, nobody on his staff accomplished extra passes (1,479), made extra progressive passes (239) or extra interceptions (44) than him, and he was second in tackles (73) and recoveries (140) made for La Actual..
Arteta’s capability to shortly type a bond with Zubimendi, a chess champion as a baby, was additionally an essential issue. The pair each started their careers on the similar newbie membership in San Sebastián — Antiguoko Kirol Elkartea — and each later performed for Actual Sociedad, persevering with the area’s wealthy soccer heritage which Arteta attributes to “the setting — the eagerness concerning the recreation, the training.”
The connection was of palpable significance to Zubimendi. “I do not know what he noticed in me, however I noticed him as one of many high coaches in Europe,” he mentioned. “On the finish of the day, I needed a top quality coach after I left Actual Sociedad. I feel I’ve discovered him. Within the few days I have been right here, I’ve seen how meticulous he’s about each side of the sport, so I feel he is the one.
“Arteta is the type of coach who expects so much from his midfielders. I feel I will attempt to do issues I did not do earlier than. Enjoying in that place, I will attempt to deliver stability and supply that passing outlet that I am recognized for. Past that, I am certain he’ll ask me to do new issues.”
Requested who he admirers within the Premier League, Zubimendi’s reply is unsurprising. He mentioned: “At any time when I watch a match, I pay shut consideration to the midfielders in my place, and Rodri is a task mannequin for all Spanish midfielders.”
Following in Rodri’s footsteps is one thing Zubimendi has already achieved. The Manchester Metropolis midfielder was pressured off injured at half-time of Spain’s Euro 2024 ultimate towards England with the match nonetheless goalless. However Zubimendi, largely a bystander on the event to that time, got here off the bench and helped drive La Roja to the 2-1 win from central midfield. He accomplished 92.3% of his passes (and 100% of these within the ultimate third), and within the crucial interval between England’s 73rd-minute equalizer and Spain’s 86th-minute winner, Zubimendi made two recoveries and two tackles.
Can he be the difference-maker for Arsenal after 5 seasons with no main trophy? “I hope so,” he mentioned. “A very powerful factor about this membership is that they study from earlier seasons. I feel the teachings they’ve realized from how final season ended will likely be key to getting even nearer to this 12 months’s targets.”
Zubimendi is then requested what precisely is lacking as after a number of years of sustained progress below Arteta, with Arsenal nonetheless ready for the reason that 2020 FA Cup so as to add any main silverware.
“Finally, I imagine that soccer comes all the way down to particulars, particularly within the Champions League,” Zubimendi mentioned. “I really feel that Arsenal have been the one staff in that semifinal who actually stood as much as Paris Saint-Germain, they usually let it slip due to minor particulars. I additionally agree with Merino that it is a lengthy season, and accidents play an essential function, so the less now we have, the higher.”
Sources say Zubimendi has settled properly, his initiation tune — Manuel Turizo’s “La Bachata” — was a hit and Merino helps him discover a home near the coaching floor as a result of “visitors in London is loopy.”
“After all, while you signal for a membership, the very first thing that involves thoughts is enjoying at dwelling and absorbing the environment,” Zubimendi mentioned. “I’ve heard that final 12 months was a particular one, particularly for Merino, so I am simply going to benefit from the expertise.”
As Zubimendi will study, if he hasn’t already, one method to “benefit from the expertise” is by reaching “new heights.” Arsenal hope he can take them there.