Arsenal Pay Premium for Martin Zubimendi as Sociedad Accept Fee Over €55m Release Clause

After weeks of speculation, mixed signals, and transfer sagas, it finally looks like Martin Zubimendi is heading to Arsenal. The Gunners have now struck a deal to bring the Spanish midfielder to north London from Real Sociedad.

Zubimendi has been on Arsenal’s radar for a while, and despite having a £51 million release clause, the transfer wasn’t as simple as just coughing up the fee. Liverpool found that out last summer when Zubimendi turned down a move to Anfield, opting to stay put at his boyhood club. That same hesitation lingered this time too, fueling doubts over whether he’d actually go through with the switch to Arsenal. The midfielder reportedly gave the green light to the move well before the transfer window even opened on June 1, but fans were left wondering why the deal hadn’t been officially announced. Some of that had to do with whispers of interest from Real Madrid and Zubimendi’s own coy comments about his future, which muddied the waters. 

However, according to David Ornstein of The Athletic, “Real Sociedad have expressed a preference for the deal to be ratified in July for accounting purposes,” and Zubimendi is expected to join Arsenal in time for pre-season. Meanwhile, The Athletic’s Real Madrid correspondent Mario Cortegana says his sources in Madrid have confirmed that while Los Blancos admire the player, they didn’t actually move to sign him. 

There was also a bit of back-and-forth between Arsenal and Real Sociedad over how the deal would be structured. Rather than pay the full release clause in one go, Arsenal pushed to split the payments — a common tactic in modern-day transfers. In the end, they agreed to pay £55 million, a few million over the release clause, to get the structure they wanted. That compromise means Sociedad get a better financial outcome on paper, and Arsenal get to manage their budget a little more smoothly. 

Arsenal looking to sign more big names this summer

Zubimendi, 26, is set to offer Mikel Arteta another quality option in holding midfield, bringing with him the experience of 236 games for Real Sociedad. With his move now nearing official confirmation, Arsenal's midfield for next season is already starting to take shape. But that’s not the only area the Gunners are working on. The club is also actively exploring options up front, with Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres, and Ollie Watkins all being considered for the No 9 role. Out wide, names like Nico Williams, Rodrygo, and Anthony Gordon are being discussed behind the scenes. 

Meanwhile, Thomas Partey’s future remains uncertain. His contract is up this summer, and no extension has been agreed yet. If the Ghanaian midfielder does move on, Arsenal could be forced to dip into the market for another reinforcement in midfield. However, with Zubimendi now all but theirs, and more reinforcements in the pipeline, they’re gearing up for a big season ahead.  

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