Arsenal face nervous wait as Real Sociedad repeat Zubimendi transfer trick

Arsenal are front-runners in the race to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi for £51m but there is still time for a spanner to be thrown into the works

Arsenal's move for Martin Zubimendi has long looked like a matter of when rather than if. However, the same was true of Liverpool's pursuit of the Real Sociedad star, and his current club are aiming to repeat the move which served them well last summer.

After staying in San Sebastian to play for La Real in the Champions League, Zubimendi had looked destined for an Anfield switch. After a last-ditch plea from manager Imanol Alguacil, though, he decided to stay put.

This time it's president Jokin Aperribay, rather than Alguacil, making a last-ditch attempt to keep the star around. They're ready to pay £51m for the Spain international, with reports earlier this week indicating he will undergo a medical before signing.

Zubimendi will meet up with his international colleagues in June, after being named in Luis de la Fuente's squad for the UEFA Nations League semis and - if they beat France - the final. And, if Arsenal don't complete a deal before then, Aperribay has urged the 26-year-old to take his time over the decision.

“We’ve told Martin to go to the national team calmly, to think about it, and we’d like him to stay," Aperribay is quoted as saying by El Desmarque (via Sport Witness )."We know there are several options. Something may come to fruition or not… I don’t see it happening in the short term. We don’t see it that way, so we have to wait and see.”

Back in 2024, Alguacil appealed to Zubimendi's emotions in an effort to convince him to stay. The boss is understood to have reminded the midfielder of the beautiful Basque Country and the local cuisine, and that played a part in helping keep the player at his boyhood club.

“Liverpool is a historic and great club and the fact a player like Martin said ‘no’ is a reason to be proud," Alguacil later said (via Relevo) “That means that things are being done well at the club."

While Zubimendi stayed, other key men did not. his former team-mate Mikel Merino joined Arsenal last summer, while Robin Le Normand made a big-money move to Atletico Madrid.

Alguacil's side were unable to keep up their high standards, slumping to an 11th-place finish in La Liga. They also saw their Europa League dreams crushed by Manchester United, as Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick to complete a 6-3 aggregate win.

It still looks more likely than not that this will be the summer where Zubimendi leaves. However, it appears his club won't give up hope until the deal is official.