Martín Zubimendi has denied he is considering leaving Arsenal in the January transfer window amid reported interest from Atlético Madrid.
The Spanish midfielder has logged only 100 minutes in seven league appearances for Arsenal this term, a far cry from last season, where he played in all 38 Premier League games to help the Gunners win the title, averaging 79 minutes per game.
“I realise the winter transfer window is coming up, and rumours may start to circulate,” he told Marca while on international duty with Spain.
“I’ve also read that a move [to Atlético] might be on the cards, but that’s far from the case. I haven’t wasted any energy on it, nor have I got in touch with anyone. I haven’t wasted any energy on external matters. I’ve got enough on my plate just trying to earn a place in the team, get some playing time and fight to win this Premier League title, which is looking so promising.”
Arsenal are top of the Premier League, five points clear of nearest rivals Brighton.
Asked if he will continue at Arsenal until the end of the season, Zubimendi, whose contract runs until June 2030, said: “Yes, I hope so. I’m happy there. I’m happy in London.”
A 2026 World Cup winner with Spain, Zubimendi believes the workload of last season that led to physical fatigue, has affected his performances.
“I played an enormous number of minutes [last season], and, to be honest, I was tired,” he said. “There were other factors, too, but the physical aspect could very well have been one of them.”
Asked if he has considered seeking psychological help to deal with this bad patch, Zubimendi said: “I’ve thought about it and wouldn’t rule it out, but for now, I haven’t gone down that path.
“I’m well, I’m calm and happy with how I’m handling this situation. It’s something I’d never experienced before, and I think you learn from situations like this too. What’s more, it’s at times like this that you need the people around you the most, and they’re there for you.”
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Zubimendi, 27, is focusing on the positives.
“When you’ve been playing a lot of minutes and your role changes to playing less, I’m managing to see the bright side,” he said. “I think everything comes and goes; just as the opposite happened to me last year and I played practically every minute, things can change very quickly.”
Zubimendi admits he was warned by Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta that the he would face competition for playing time with the arrival of midfielder Bruno Guimarães.
“I spoke to Mikel [Arteta] at the start of the season,” Zubimendi said.
“As he does with all the players, he explained the plan to me briefly. He told me there were some new signings and that there would be playing time for everyone. I understand that because, as far as I’m concerned, we’re among the top five teams in Europe.
“There are some absolutely brilliant players. New signings have come in for my position, and there were already some very good players there. I’m also part of that competition that makes it so difficult to play. And here we are, giving it our all.”
