Real Madrid and Chelsea battle for Zubimendi under Xabi Alonso
On Arsenal's training ground, under the dim evening light, sports journalist Zubimendi goes through his usual routine, recalling that his contract with the English club runs until mid‑2030 while Europe's giants watch his future.
Club dispute
Real Madrid is ready to press hard for the pivot, three weeks after considering requesting him on loan in January with a non‑obligatory purchase option. The white club wants to launch its bid for 27‑year‑old Martín Zubimendi and will not be alone in the race. According to reports from England, Xabi Alonso's Chelsea is also after him, which has sparked a tug‑of‑war between the two teams. Only Arsenal, holder of the contract, can decide the midfielder's future.
Zubimendi was decisive for much of last season in Mikel Arteta's system, but has lost prominence in recent months and his involvement remains limited at the current Premier League champions. The Gipuzkoa‑born coach tried him as a full‑back in September, when the international was stringing together substitute appearances, and his camp warned that they would reassess his future in January if the situation did not change. With a contract at the Emirates until mid‑2030, the player still fits into Real Madrid's future plans, which see him as a quality step up for the midfield core of José Mourinho's project.
Negotiation background
In early October, Real Madrid was already considering requesting him on loan in January with a non‑obligatory purchase option, after Arsenal proposed a loan swap involving Rodrygo. In September, the obstacle to the deal was the 90 million that the London club demanded for his pivot. The white club had already moved a piece before, but the price tag has complicated the agreement.
The rival in the race is an old acquaintance of Madridismo: Xabi Alonso, who already sought his signing when he was managing Real Madrid, has moved Chelsea, which wants him for the Blues' midfield. The bidding war between the two clubs has become one of the storylines of the winter market.
The final word, in any case, belongs to Arsenal. The Gunners will decide whether to entertain offers for a player they signed just over a year ago who now plays a secondary role, or to keep the gamble until the end of the season. The January market will be the first test to see which way the tug‑of‑war leans.