Martin Zubimendi made his Arsenal debut on Wednesday in Singapore against AC Milan, and impressed in the process.
Arsenal beat Milan 1-0 at the Singapore National Stadium, kicking off their preparations for the new campaign with a routine victory against Massimiliano Allegri’s side.
Bukayo Saka scored the game’s only goal, steering home from an exceptional cross from Jakub Kiwior shortly after half-time.
Zubimendi was introduced at the break, replacing Christian Norgaard, and the Spaniard delivered an encouraging opening display in a red and white shirt.
Journalist reveals Martin Zubimendi was ‘bigger than you expect’ when meeting him in person
Arsenal signed Zubimendi for £55 million earlier this summer, with the Euro 2024 winner brought to the Emirates to essentially replace Thomas Partey in the Gunners starting eleven.
While technically proficient, there have been some concerns about whether Zubimendi has the physical attributes needed to compete in the Premier League.
More diminutive than powerful, the 26-year-old may take some time to adapt to the English game.
That said, journalist James McNicholas met Zubimendi in person earlier this week in Singapore and was surprised by his physical stature.
“Yeah, somebody said that to me, when you meet him, he’s a bit bigger than you expect,” McNicholas said on Arsecast.
“I saw him stood next to Mikel Merino the other night, who is pretty big guy.
“He’s what, 6 ft 2, Merino? I would say. And Zubimendi, he’s not dwarfed by him in any respect. You know, he’s a few inches shorter, but he’s not a short player.”
Mikel Arteta has built a team of tall and physically imposing players, and thus will be delighted that Zubimendi doesn’t break this mould.
The Gunners outmuscle almost every team they come up against, and it appears as though their newest big-money recruit will only bolster them in this aspect.
Martin Zubimendi’s statistics vs AC Milan
Saka was impressed with Zubimendi’s debut against Milan, and he was certainly right to be.
Quickly shaking off the cobwebs, the former Real Sociedad man was smooth in possession, dictating the tempo of the game from the base of the midfield.
Constantly looking to progress the ball, the number six played a few eye-catching line-breaking passes into Martin Odegaard in his 45-minute cameo.
| Martin Zubimendi’s Statistics vs AC Milan | |
| Minutes Played | 45 |
| Accurate Passes | 31/35 (89%) |
| Key Passes | 2 |
| Touches | 42 |
| Passes into the Final Third | 11 |
| Ground Duels Won | 3/5 (60%) |
Not only did he help Arsenal get into the final third, Zubimendi also contributed to creating chances for his teammates when the Gunners got there, laying on two key passes in his cameo.
Arsenal need Zubimendi to be a high-volume passer and a progressive passer, and that’s exactly what he did against the Italian giants.
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