Why Arsenal are signing 'brain of the future' Zubimendi

Arsenal are hoping they have found the final piece that will complete the jigsaw puzzle of their midfield.

Martin Zubimendi, considered one of the world's best defensive midfielders, has finally completed his £60m move from Real Sociedad - a deal widely expected since January.

"He has a gifted mind," Spanish journalist Roberto Ramajo, external told BBC Sport. "He sees things on the pitch that others can't.

"Zubimendi isn't a 10 (out of 10) at anything, but he's an eight at everything. In the Premier League, he can develop into a 10 at everything."

Ramajo calls him 'el cerebro del futuro' - the brain of the future.

Spain international Zubimendi, 26, rejected a move to Liverpool last summer and is now joining their title rivals.

There he is most likely to link up with Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in a midfield three.

So what type of player are Arsenal getting, and what will his role be at Emirates Stadium?

Zubimendi played 236 times for Real Sociedad - his only club to date - and scored 10 goals.

But he is not a goalscorer, because he is primarily a defensive midfielder.

Real Sociedad played several formations last season, though mostly it was a 4-1-4-1 with Zubimendi as the pivot.

In La Liga in 2024-25, he ranked in the top five of central midfielders for successful passes, successful long passes, progressive passes, touches, tackles, interceptions, aerial duels won and distance of completed upfield passes (8.5km).

"He's not a paragon of technical prowess, nor does he stand out for his vision, his long ball touch, or his ability to link up," said Real Sociedad expert Ramajo.

"He delivers in every aspect of a midfielder's game, and he always contributes. And that's what sets him apart, what allows him to excel the way he has at Real Sociedad since he came into the first team.

"Martin has very good tactical ability. He knows how to occupy space on the pitch almost perfectly, and he reads his team's needs very well when it comes to helping his team-mates.

"He has fantastic reading of the game, because he's very intelligent without the ball. I know he's hailed with the ball, but I like him better off it."

Zubimendi has won 19 Spain caps, and played nearly every game as the holding midfielder since Rodri's injury in the Euro 2024 final against England.

When Rodri - who would go on to win the Ballon d'Or - went off at half-time in that game, many observers felt that would be a boost for England.

But Zubimendi was impressive when he came on, with Spain not appearing to miss Rodri on their way to a 2-1 victory.

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has called him the second best defensive midfielder in the world.

Zubimendi is unfortunate that number one is Manchester City's Rodri, with Spain only playing one player in that position.

"Zubimendi, unlike Rodri, is the brain of the future," said Ramajo. "The feeling I have is that the City midfielder has already reached his peak and it's difficult for him to develop further.

"Rodri is what he is, and he's tremendously good at it. But Zubimendi is also like that, and he still has the capacity to evolve and improve a lot.

"He's going to follow the path Rodri once took, making the leap to the Premier League, where a midfield player can really get his act together."

Zubiemendi made the most of his run in the Spain team with Rodri out injured, including chipping in with some goals.

He scored twice in the 2024-25 Nations League campaign, in the group against Denmark and the final defeat by Portugal.

In the Nations League knockout games in 2025, he ranked fifth for passes and successful passes, second for interceptions and seventh for tackles.

Zubiemendi's form led to reports that Real Madrid, managed by Xabi Alonso, might try to hijack the move.

And the appeal could have been great with Alonso having come through the same youth team - Antiguoko - as Zubimendi, as well as also playing for Real Sociedad and Spain in the same number six position.

But Zubimendi was set on Arsenal, where he is likely to take the position previously occupied by Thomas Partey.

Partey's Arsenal contract expired last Monday. He was charged on Thursday with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, all of which he denies.

The Ghana international, 32, played 35 Premier League games for Arsenal last season - mostly in central midfield. Jorginho, who has left the club and joined Flamengo, started nine.

While Zubimendi is expected to replace Partey in the Gunners team, another contender will be Denmark midfielder Christian Norgaard, who is set to join from Brentford.

Ramajo said: "One of Zubimendi's dreams is to play in the United Kingdom, as a true Premier League fan. And if he's going to leave the club of his life, it's better to fulfil a dream.

"[At Arsenal] he won't have the absurd pressure he'd be under if he stayed in La Liga, where they'd scrutinise everything he did."

Ghana international Partey, 32, played 35 Premier League games for Arsenal last season - mostly in central midfield. Jorginho, who has left the club and joined Flamengo, started nine.

While Partey drifted to the right side more for Arsenal (albeit including games at right-back), Zubimendi tended to go both ways - but more towards the left.

Rice played in the number six role for West Ham but usually appears further forward for Arsenal in a midfield three with Odegaard.

And Zubimendi's signing might free him up even more - with the Basque having better mobility than Partey, plus his focus on defending.

The Spaniard was more involved in his own half than Partey last season, with 56% of touches to Partey's 48%.

And only 27% of his passes ended up in the final third, compared with 32% of Partey's.

But Ramajo said: "He's a player capable of coming out from the back very neatly, able to break pressure lines with inside passes and with courageous skills, because Zubimendi is above all a forward-moving player.

"And he has an important quality - he's better with better team-mates around him, and he's also capable of improving them.

"I think his style can quickly adapt to the needs of the Premier League, and it can help him establish himself definitively among the elite of our continent's most important players."

Arsenal will hope their summer spending is not finished yet, with a proper striker on the agenda - which could also affect how their midfielders play.