Real Madrid ‘interested in shock transfer for Arsenal star Martin Zubimendi’ after trying to hijack deal a year ago

REAL MADRID have maintained their interest in Arsenal ace Martin Zubimendi after missing out on the midfielder last summer. Los Blancos were pipped to the signing of Zubimendi last year as Arsenal wrapped up a £51million deal for the Spaniard. Real Madrid have retained their interest in Martin Zubimendi Credit: Getty Arsenal have signed Bruno Guimaraes for £75m, offering more midfield competition Credit: PA Madrid chiefs started negotiations months after Arsenal had already agreed a deal for Zubimendi, scuppering their chances of a late hijack. Some 12 months on and reports suggest that Zubimendi is still admired at the Bernabeu. Sign up for the Arsenal newsletter Thank you! Zubimendi looks set to be in line for fewer minutes at Arsenal this season, following their £75m capture of Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes. Fellow Gunners midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly has been offered to Chelsea and Manchester United this summer too. Arsenal are still keen to keep hold of Zubimendi despite interest from Real Madrid. The World Cup winner’s current contract runs until 2030 and Mikel Arteta has already said he is a “key player”. Gunners legend Lee Dixon has backed Arsenal’s stance, tipping Zubimendi to still get minutes following Guimaraes’ arrival. Speaking exclusively to SunSport via BestBettingSites, Dixon said: “If you’re in a team situation and someone comes into the squad in the summer in your position, you can go one of two ways. Most read in Sport Lee Dixon has backed Zubimendi to compete for minutes Credit: Getty BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK “You can look at it and go, ‘Oh, that’s me out.’ It happened to me several times at Arsenal where a full-back came in during the summer and you go, ‘Hang on a minute.’ “But it’s a bit more of a squad game now, so I think players are probably less worried when somebody comes into that midfield area. “Zubimendi knows he won’t be expected to play every single game anyway; Declan Rice will be rested at times, even though he’s one of those who goes on and on. It is a squad game. “In my day, if somebody came in, it really got your back up. You made sure that you trained and played really hard in pre-season – not that you shouldn’t anyway, but it gives you a bit of a jolt. “I think it has less of an impact these days with the squad situation, so I’m sure they’ll knuckle down. “You might look at the midfield and ask how they’re going to fit all of them in – they’ve got Merino, a World Cup winner, and players who won’t want to sit out – but I think players accept it a little bit more now.” Comment now