Zubimendi is like busquets … Arteta will love him, but he will not win Arsenal games

Arsenal is about to start their summer edition with a £ 50 million deal for Martin Zubimendi.

But what will the real Sociedad and Spain -midfielder bring to the side of Mikel Arteta? The Spanish-Femalized Journalist Andy West has the rule about the 26-year-old.

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Dynamic, composed, aggressive … It has long been inevitable that the qualities of Zubimendi would lead him to the European elite.

When a young Zubimendi progressed from the youth of Real Sociedad to become a first team five years ago, he was quickly recommended as a target for Barcelona To replace the fading Sergio Busquets.

That never happened, mainly because of the well -documented financial problems of Barca, but the comparison is largely accurate.

Zubimendi covers the same site as Busquets on the foot of midfield, protect the back and smoothly connecting defense with attack.

He is also press -resistant, able to receive possession and to keep it quietly in tight spaces.

But Zubimendi is more physically explosive than Busquets, able to avoid pressure by driving the ball in the room.

Zubimendi is an effective and efficient performer instead of flashy – much of his best work that is performed unusually from the ball.

He reads the game excellently, always dives in the right place to receive possession from a teammate or to disrupt the rhythm of the opposition. That includes game management.

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A central aspect of the approach to Real Sociedad is the prevention of counterattacks by physically pressing the first phase of possession, if necessary with errors.

The 47 career – yellow cards from Zubimendi – but no red – show that it is not dirty of controlled aggression.

More meaningful – only 11 goals and eight assists in nearly 250 performances makes it clear that Zubimendi is not a major presence in the final third. That is not his game.

Instead of hunting personal glory, Zubimendi makes his team better through positional discipline, distributing simple but fast and denying the opposition space.

If there is one concern about the long -awaited move to Arsenal, it is as if he can adapt to a new team in a new competition.

Growing up in San Sebastian and becoming a member of his local club at the age of 12, Real Sociedad is everything he has ever known.

The Basques have one of footballThe best youth systems, with a clearly defined style in the age groups so that local talents can enjoy a seamless transition to senior football.

Dynamic, composed, aggressive … It has long been inevitable that the qualities of Zubimendi would lead him to the European elite.

Away from that comfort zone, Zubimendi has rarely been so effective for his country.

Since his Spain debut in 2021, he has difficulty making a normal, usually deputus for Manchester City‘s Rodri with only one start with the triumphant euros last summer.

Can Zubimendi thrive when he leaves the fame of his boys’ club?

Certainly not a coach could be placed better to help the transition than ArtetaHis co -resident of San Sebastian.

The Arsenal Boss knows exactly what he gets, with the presence of former teammate Mikel Merino another help.

At 26, Zubimendi is in its prime. The step for an important title candidate such as Arsenal has been brewing for years.

As long as he is expected to know the team together instead of winning games on his own, everything points to Zubimendi who quickly becomes an important piece for Arsenal of Arteta.

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