A video has surfaced which appears to show Martin Zubimendi being teased by Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil over his impending switch to Arsenal.
The Gunners have set their sights on signing Zubimendi as their first piece of business for the summer and are poised to trigger the midfielder’s £51million release clause to prise their top target away from Sociedad.
Reports last month claimed Arsenal’s hierarchy were confident the move was now effectively a ‘done deal’, with Mikel Arteta desperate for midfield reinforcements to strengthen his squad and accommodate for the expected departure of Jorginho.
However, Real Madrid have not yet given up hope of landing Zubimendi and intend to do everything in their power to beat Arsenal to the Spain international, 26, who came close to joining Liverpool last year.
It’s understood incoming Madrid boss Xabi Alonso has encouraged the club to pursue bids for both Zubimendi and Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz when the summer transfer window opens for business.
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Zubimendi has remained tight-lipped amid the speculation over his future, intent on doing his talking on the pitch and finishing the campaign on a high with Sociedad.
But Sociedad head coach Alguacil was caught dropping a juicy hint over Zubimendi’s next steps in a rather telling moment captured by the club’s own cameras during a training session on Saturday.
While putting his players through their paces, Alguacil was pictured cupping his hands around his mouth before shouting, ‘Zubi, intensity!’, from a distance in perfect English, before bursting into laughter.
It came just 24 hours before Sociedad ran out 3-2 victors in their penultimate match of the La Liga campaign at home to Girona.
Zubimendi played the full 90 minutes at the Reale Arena and looked a tad emotional embracing Alguacil as Sociedad’s home support begged him to stay with cries of ‘Stay, Zubi’ at the full-time whistle.
Sociedad’s president Jokin Aperribay has been a little more cautious than Alguacil when discussing Zubimendi’s future, refusing to be drawn on the incessant rumours with the season still ongoing.
‘We’ll see what happens. All I ask of him is one last effort to qualify for Europe and whatever happens, will happen in June,’ he told Spanish newspaper Marca last month.
‘There’s no point in speculating now about whether he’ll be there. He’s had several opportunities to leave and he’ll make the decision he wants, because he’ll have more options.’
Asked whether Zubimendi could extend his stay with Sociedad, Aperribay replied: ‘I don’t remember our last conversation. When I talk to him, it’s more about goals, pushing.
‘There’s one month left, and we’re playing against opponents who can beat us, but we can also beat them all.
‘There are no easy or difficult matches. Martin is part of that. I don’t know if it’s difficult for him to stay.
‘We haven’t tried to raise the clause. Don’t think contracts are negotiated like that. It’s more a matter of willpower. If he wants to continue the conversation, it will last five minutes. I don’t know if it’s difficult.’
Zubimendi joined Sociedad’s academy back in 201, aged just 12, and has gone on to make 232 appearances for his boyhood team across seven years in the first-team.
In that time, Zubimendi has lifted the Copa del Rey with Sociedad, while helping the club reach the last-16 stage of the Champions League last term.
The Spaniard’s current deal in San Sebastian is due to expire in June 2027.
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