Martin Zubimendi must make special request to Arsenal star to land dream shirt number, he revealed why it is his ‘all-time favourite’

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Martin Zubimendi has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal ahead of the summer transfer window.

The Gunners will be looking to rebuild their midfield department, as Jorginho is set to join Flamengo and Thomas Partey is yet to put pen to paper on a new contract.

Arsenal are expected to trigger Zubimendi’s £51 million release clause, although there is still some concern that Real Madrid or Barcelona could look to hijack the deal.

The Spaniard would likely take Partey’s spot in the team, sitting at the base of a midfield trio consisting of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.

• READ MORE: Ian Wright questions ‘nightmare’ £42,000,000 transfer at Arsenal as Mikel Arteta problem laid bare

Martin Zubimendi reveals the number four shirt is his favourite ahead of Arsenal transfer

Arsenal will be in need of at least one new defensive midfielder this summer, and it looks as though Zubimendi is very likely to be added to Mikel Arteta’s ranks.

The Real Sociedad man is a classic number six, dictating the tempo of the game with his metronomic passing from deep, while he’s also astute defensively.

Despite being a six on paper, Zubimendi wears the number four shirt for La Real, a number currently occupied by Ben White at Arsenal.

White isn’t expected to go anywhere this summer, meaning the Euro 2024 winner would either have to request the shirt from the Englishman or settle for a different number.

Speaking in an interview for Spanish publication Marca, Zubimendi revealed that the reason the number four shirt is his favourite is because he inherited it from Asier Illarramendi, a Sociedad legend.

“It was a surprise,” the 26-year-old said.

“Receiving the number 4, my all-time favourite number, from Illarra, who is a role model for every Gipuzkoan midfielder, and doing it at Anoeta, applauded by everyone, was something I’d never seen before, so I’m doubly grateful.”

Should Arsenal sign Martin Zubimendi?

Sociedad appeared to confirm Zubimendi’s exit by not including him in their pre-season promotional marketing, so the deal appears to be as good as done.

However, Arsenal should arguably have been looking elsewhere, with the Sociedad deep-lying playmaker struggling at times this season.

While he has some impressive core attributes, Zubimendi doesn’t actually progress the ball at a particularly elite rate, and there are question marks around whether the Gunners need someone who drops that deep to collect the ball.

Offering very little in the final third, the Spain international is at his best very deep, in the initial phase of build-up, and Arsenal need someone who is more capable further up the pitch.

At £50 million, the Gunners could certainly find a more cost-effective solution, with the likes of Angelo Stiller and Ederson available on the market.