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Martin Zubimendi to Chelsea: Why shock summer transfer could actually happen
Updated: 6 Aug 2026 03:47 CDT |
5 min read
News
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has reportedly informed club officials of his desire to sign Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi before the end of the summer transfer window.
The 27-year-old joined Mikel Arteta’s side from Real Sociedad for €70 million last July and he played a pivotal role as the Gunners won the Premier League title for the first time since 2004 during his debut season at the club.
Current ETV
Martín Zubimendi
DM, M (C)
Arsenal
Martín Zubimendi
DM, M (C)
Arsenal
ETV Range
€56.1M - €68.6M
Zubimendi played every single league game for Arsenal last season, scoring five goals, and Alonso is keen to lure him across London to Stamford Bridge, according to a report from Chelsea transfer insider Simon Phillips.
It’s claimed that Alonso has personally requested the signing of Zubimendi this summer, although there is no indication that Chelsea are ready to seriously pursue a deal, while Arsenal are expected to rebuff any offers, having only signed him last year.
However, Alonso is eager for the Blues to agree a transfer and there are a number of reasons why a shock deal could actually be finalised before Deadline Day.
Xabi Alonso is the secret weapon in Martin Zubimendi chase
Alonso is reportedly the driving force behind Chelsea’s interest in Zubimendi and he will play a crucial role in the transfer if it comes to fruition.
The 44-year-old coached Zubimendi during his time as the manager of Real Sociedad’s B team and he was effervescent in his praise for the Arsenal midfielder at the time.
“Martin’s a player all coaches would want,” Alonso told The Guardian in 2022. “He’s generous, he always thinks more about his team-mates than himself. He has that ability to generate play, to make those around him better, always offering solutions; to improve the move.
“He understands what the next step is before the ball gets to him. He has that ability to organise the axis. I loved working with him.”
Meanwhile, Zubimendi was equally keen to praise Alonso.
“He’s an idol, a role model, so I’m delighted that he says nice things about me,” the midfielder admitted.
“I wasn’t even with him a full season because of the pandemic but those were lovely months. It was when he came that I started playing more; with Xabi, I got a run of games. I could feel the affection he had for me, which maybe comes from having the same position. He made a point of trying to show me things, teaching me.
“With him, I learned to recognise and differentiate [types of] presses, overcoming them. Before then, I played the way that more or less came naturally. With him I started to truly understand concepts for bringing the ball out, building play. He insisted a lot on the analysis. We would walk it through, inflatables positioned where the opposition would be.”
The pair clearly have a strong relationship and reuniting with his “idol” could be an extremely attractive proportion for Zubimendi ahead of Transfer Deadline Day on 1 September.
Bruno Guimaraes could help Chelsea complete deal
In addition, Arsenal’s decision to sign Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes could also help Chelsea sign Zubimendi.
The Brazil international is expected to play a pivotal role for Arteta’s side once his €87m (£75m) transfer is officially confirmed, and Zubimendi is likely to be the player most affected by the deal.
Guimaraes’ arrival will undoubtedly ease the midfield burden on Declan Rice, who has played far too much football since his move from West Ham United, but he will also cause Zubimendi to drop down the pecking order.
The Spain star lost his starting XI place to Arsenal academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly during the final few weeks of last season, and with Guimaraes on the verge of becoming a Gunners player, Zubimendi would be forgiven for looking elsewhere.
Chelsea need a midfielder
Finally, while Enzo Fernandez currently looks set to stay at Chelsea this summer, Alonso’s squad still looks fairly light in midfield, and that is despite the recent signings of Jordan Henderson and Valentin Barco.
Henderson is likely to be given minimal game time following his move from Brentford, with the Englishman instead set to mainly play a leadership role, while Barco is expected to be a rotation option during his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge.
Current ETV
Valentín Barco
M, DM (C)
Chelsea
Valentín Barco
M, DM (C)
Chelsea
ETV Range
€22.5M - €27.5M
Romeo Lavia is yet to display the form he showed at Southampton and remains a huge injury risk, and Dario Essugo arguably needs a loan move to ensure his development doesn’t stall any further following a heavily-disrupted first season in west London.
As a result, it’s no surprise that Chelsea are interested in signing Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, and Alonso’s desire to bring Zubimendi to the club also makes complete sense.
The Spaniard would arguably be a far more suitable midfield partner for Moises Caicedo than the aforementioned Fernandez, and if Chelsea are able to finalise a deal for around his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €62.3m, it would represent fantastic business.
