Atlético opens the door to the signing of Zubimendi

Martín Zubimendi, a 27-year midfielder from Arsenal, has the public support of Álex Baena to sign with Atlético de Madrid in January. The red-and-white player has acknowledged that he would like to share a locker room with the Spanish international, whose name appears in a possible swap with Julián Álvarez.

The operation was reported by RNE, indicating a possible exit of the Argentine forward to London in exchange for Zubimendi arriving at the Metropolitano. For now, there is no confirmation of an agreement between the two clubs.

❤️ 🔝 Álex Baena: "¿ZUBIMENDI al @Atleti? Me encantaría que viniera" 👏 "Sería una gran incorporación para el equipo y el vestuario, porque es una GRAN persona" 🥈 "Ya sabemos que es el segundo MEJOR detrás de Rodri en su posición" https://t.co/4rwzcB2vXA

— El Larguero (@ellarguero) November 9, 2026

Martín Zubimendi, the signing that Álex Baena requests for Atlético

The Spanish midfielder has received unexpected support from the red-and-white locker room. During an interview on El Larguero de la Cadena SER, Álex Baena was asked about the possibility of his teammate in the Spanish national team ending up playing under his orders in Madrid.

Baena did not hide his enthusiasm and placed Zubimendi among the best footballers in the world in his position, only behind Rodri Hernández, current player of Manchester City.

"I would love for him to come. He is the second-best pivot in the world because Rodri is there", said the red-and-white player, who also highlighted the personal qualities of the midfielder and his potential contribution to the locker room.

His statements come after it was learned that Atlético de Madrid is closely monitoring the player's situation. The sports management, led by Mateu Alemany, is considering adding another midfielder during the winter transfer market. Three future paths activated for Zubimendi.

Zubimendi, who arrived in English football from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2025, is going through a complicated situation. He has played only 380 minutes this season under Mikel Arteta, with just one start, according to information published by Relevo.

Arsenal could include Zubimendi in a deal for Julián Álvarez

The possible addition of Martín Zubimendi is directly related to the future of Julián Álvarez. According to RNE, Arsenal remains interested in the Argentine forward, and both clubs could consider a swap during the upcoming January market.

The Spanish midfielder arrived in London through a deal close to 70 million euros and has a contract until June 2030. His market value currently hovers around 65 million, while Julián Álvarez's valuation sits around 110 million, according to Transfermarkt.

This financial difference would be one of the main obstacles to close a direct swap. Furthermore, the Madrid club demanded 150 million euros for the forward last summer when he was also linked with Barcelona.

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Criticism of Julián Álvarez

Julián's situation is also not going unnoticed within the locker room. Álex Baena acknowledged that the Argentine's statements about his future during the summer did not sit well with some teammates, although he assured that he still has the group’s support.

For now, the next step will be to see if the clubs translate this scenario into formal negotiations before January 2027. The Arsenal's willingness to part ways with Martín Zubimendi and Julián Álvarez's final valuation will determine if the possibility of a swap can turn into a real operation.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El Atlético abre las puertas al fichaje de Zubimendi