New reports have confirmed that Arsenal may have to wait a while before officially sealing Martin Zubimendi’s transfer from Real Sociedad.
James McNicholas reports for The Athletic that Arsenal’s deal to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad is effectively agreed, pending a medical, but it may not be made official until July.
McNicholas writes that Real Sociedad have express a preference for the deal to officially take place next month for accounting reasons.
This is consistent with other reports on the transfer in recent days. El Diario Vasco wrote last week that the deal may be held back to allow both clubs to include it in the next financial year, beginning on July 1st.
Yon Cuezva of Radio MARCA also suggested there was a financial motiviation to hold the deal back. And Real Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay played down reports of an imminent transfer, perhaps with that July 1st delay in mind.
“Zubimendi is the only player we have had transfer talks about,” Aperribay said. “We would like him to stay with us here, and we know there are several options, and one may or may not materialize. I don’t see it happening in the short term, so we have to wait and see.”
Zubimendi ended up making 48 appearances for Real Sociedad in 2024/25, as well as starting six of Spain’s last eight matches. The 26-year-old has been called up again for the June international break.
The defensive midfielder has spent his entire career so far with Real Sociedad, despite regularly receiving approaches from many of the best clubs in Europe. Liverpool were particularly keen to sign him last summer, but he turned them down.
An Arsenal move is seemingly a formality at this point, but it’s not done until it’s done.