Arsenal icon has a bizarre nickname for Martin Zubimendi after watching him vs Villarreal

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Martin Zubimendi has made such an encouraging start to life at Arsenal that he’s already got a nickname.

The Spaniard made his first appearance at the Emirates during Arsenal’s defeat to Villarreal. 

Arsenal lost 3-2 against the Spanish side in 90 minutes, then fell to defeat again in a post-match penalty shoot-out. 

There were plenty of talking points for Mikel Arteta to take from the contest, one of which was the performance of Zubimendi after he was introduced in the second half. 

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Perry Groves gives Martin Zubimendi a new nickname

Viktor Gyokeres also made his debut at the Emirates, but it became clear that the squad are going to need to alter their approach in order to get the best out of the Swede. 

Fellow Emirates debutants Cristhian Mosquera, Noni Madueke, Kepa Arizabalaga and Christian Norgaard also featured, with Zubimendi proving exactly why Arsenal pushed so hard to sign him.

The midfielder was introduced at halftime, replacing goalscorer Norgaard in the holding role and quickly showcased his ability to snuff out danger.

Aside from his combative edge, Zubimendi impressed when passing the ball, something Perry Groves picked up on during the game.

Speaking on Arsenal.com’s live coverage of the fixture, Groves announced his new nickname for Zubimendi. 

“I’m gonna call him the loan shark, because when he lends it, it’s always with high interest,” the Arsenal icon joked.

Zubimendi was frequently seen as a pathway to keep possession while moving around the pitch, receiving and playing the ball with ease.

The control that the Spaniard brought to the midfield was there for all to see, getting fans excited ahead of the new season.

Zubimendi impressed against Villarreal

It’s no surprise that Groves thought that Zubimendi’s passing merited a nickname.

The summer signing barely put a foot wrong against Villarreal, as his near-perfect numbers portray, completing all of his 37 attempted passes.

Bringing control in possession, passing and duelling, Zubimendi showed he’s everything Arteta has been crying out for.

A huge performance from a top summer buy by the Gunners.