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Former Liverpool player Steve Nicol and ex-Arsenal midfielder Stewart Robson raised concerns after Arsenal announced the signing of Martin Zubimendi. The pundits believe that the midfielder could struggle to adapt to the fast-paced Premier League.
Speaking on ESPN FC, Nicol questioned Arsenal's decision to sign Zubimendi and said that the Spaniard cannot close down attackers when the opponents counter. He does not believe that the new signing is fast enough to do it on his own in midfield and said (via Metro):
"If you’re going to let Odegaard and Rice get forward, you know they are going to pen teams in. The biggest problem Manchester City have got is when teams get out, you don’t have anyone in the middle of the park to stop them. I don’t see how this guy stops them. He’s not quick around the field, and that’s my problem."
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Robson, meanwhile, revealed that he used to joke about the Spaniard while he was doing LaLiga commentary. He claims that the 26-year-old rarely passes the ball forward and said:
"He’s not dynamic. He plays the holding role and he’ll keep the ball quite nicely, but I’ve done commentary on La Liga and I’ll have a little joke about how many times he’s going to pass it forward. He hardly ever passes it forward – there’s no penetrative or goalscoring passes, he just keeps the thing flowing. There are lots of players who can do that, and you’re paying a lot of money for a player who can just keep things moving along."
The Gunners signed Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad for a reported £51 million fee. The Spaniard had interest from Real Madrid, but opted make the move to the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta delighted with new Arsenal signing, who rejected Liverpool last summer
Mikel Arteta spoke to the club's website after Arsenal confirmed the signing of Martin Zubimendi and said that he was delighted with the move. He believes that the midfielder suits the system perfectly and will help them get better on the pitch. He said (via Metro):
"Martin is a player who will bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence to our team. He will fit in really well and he has all the attributes to be a key player for us. The standard he has consistently performed at over the last few seasons for both club and country is exactly why we are so excited to have him with us. We all welcome Martin and his family to the club."
Liverpool were keen on signing Martin Zubimendi last summer, but the midfielder opted to stay with Real Sociedad. Following his move to the Emirates, Zubimendi will be tasked with helping Arsenal in their pursuit of reigning Premier League champions Liverpool next season.
