Arsenal huge blow as Xabi Alonso ‘fetish’ prompts Real Madrid hijack of £51m ‘agreed’ signing
Xabi Alonso has a ‘fetish’ for Martin Zubimendi and as ‘nothing is signed’ with Arsenal, the Gunners could be about to feel the pulling power of Real Madrid.
The Spain international came close to a move to Liverpool last summer after the Reds triggered his £51m clause, only for Zubimendi to reject their advances to remain at his boyhood club.
But the 26-year-old has now decided that his future is elsewhere and Fabrizio Romano gave his famous ‘here we go!’ on Saturday to confirm Arsenal have reached a ‘verbal agreement’ with the midfielder.
He wrote on X: ‘Arsenal agree deal to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, here we go!
‘Zubimendi has now verbally agreed to sign a long term deal… so formal steps must follow soon with Arsenal to trigger €60m clause.
‘Zubi, ready to become the first signing of the new season.’
The supposed done deal has led sporting director Andrea Berta to focus on strengthening other areas of the squad, with talks supposedly at an ‘advanced stage’ over the signing of striker Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting, while Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos and Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams are thought to be on the Italian’s agenda.
But Berta may now need to circle back and continue to whisper sweet nothings in Zubimendi’s ear, not that that’s likely to do any good if Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid decide to make their move, as AS claim they might.
Alonso was announced as the man to replace Carlo Ancelotti at Bernabeu last week and the report claims ‘Zubimendi is not yet lost’ for the current Bayer Leverkusen boss.
It’s claimed the defensive midfielder – who’s style is often compared to that of Alonso when he was patrolling the midfield of Liverpool and Real Madrid – is a ‘fetish player for Xabi’.
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‘There is nothing signed’ between Zubimendi and Arsenal, meaning ‘there is still time for Alonso to intercede in the situation’ and ‘his arrival at Madrid is still possible’.
The report adds:
‘A sharp turn in the situation that can happen again now, sources familiar with the situation point out to AS. Operation Zubimendi is latent. Everything arranged with Arsenal, but in the absence of the signature and the last fringes, which must be closed now with both leagues finished, the Spanish and the Premier League.
‘That’s the time Madrid has to get into the operation. When this happens, few players resist it. And more considering that being led by Xabi in a whole Real Madrid can be attractive for the soccer player… In the next few hours, there will be a final outcome to this new soap opera that Martín is starring in after the one he lived with Liverpool last summer.’
