Martin Zubimendi “went all out” to join Arsenal in the summer transfer window despite reported interest from Real Madrid.
Arsenal paid around £60million to sign the midfielder from Real Sociedad after identifying him as a top target for over a year.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta viewed the Spanish international as the missing link in midfield, with a deal reportedly agreed back in January.
Zubimendi and striker Viktor Gyokeres were brought in to get Arsenal over the line in both the Premier League and Champions League — and so far, so good.
Arsenal sit top of the Premier League after eight games and, while Gyokeres has not been prolific, his movement and presence through the middle have made Arteta’s side more dangerous.
Zubimendi, meanwhile, already looks like the true final piece of the puzzle, even though Arsenal have been crying out for a centre-forward for the last three seasons.
The 26-year-old discussed his move in an interview with AS this week, revealing that Arteta’s attention to detail was crucial in convincing him to join.
Asked whether he had considered any other team, namely Real Madrid, Zubimendi replied: “I don’t know, you feel that way. Once I decided to leave Real Sociedad, Arsenal was a team that, from what I’d seen, suited me well, especially in terms of play.
“I also wanted a very detail-oriented manager, and in Arteta, as soon as I spoke to him, I found him.
“There was a very young team [at Arsenal], with a lot of passion, very close-knit, eager to win, and even if they haven’t been able to do so, that makes you want it even more.
“I’m not really feeling it (the pressure of winning trophies). No one here talks about obligations or having to earn anything. Rather than pressure, I see people with a lot of desire.”
He continued: “I can’t talk about other teams. Arsenal was the one I had decided on, and I went all out for it.”
Asked about the pressure of joining a top club, Zubimendi replied: “Ugh…I don’t know, I don’t know. We’re talking about very big clubs.
“To say that Madrid was missing a piece like me is a lot to say because all the players they have are spectacular. And at Arsenal, it’s more of the same.”
Elite players turning down Real Madrid to join Arsenal is remarkable when you consider where the Gunners were when Arteta took over.
He has often been criticised for not winning enough silverware, but the club’s transformation under his management has been extraordinary.
Three consecutive second-place finishes in the Premier League are obviously excruciating for Arsenal fans, but they also underline how far the team has come.
And players like Zubimendi choosing Arsenal over Real Madrid only highlight the outstanding job Arteta has done at the Emirates.