Theo Walcott knows Santi Cazorla very well, having played with him for many years at Arsenal.
The Spaniard is up there with the best players in the Emirates Stadium era. He was a joy to watch and produced a number of memorable moments in the famous red and white.
Arsenal haven’t really had a player like Cazorla since he left the club, but Walcott believes Mikel Arteta has finally found someone similar – Martin Zubimendi.
Was Martin Zubimendi the best signing of Arsenal’s summer? If not, who was?
Theo Walcott compares Arsenal star Martin Zubimendi to Santi Cazorla
Arsenal signed Zubimendi from Real Sociedad last summer after pursuing him for well over a year.
The Spaniard was wanted by massive clubs like Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, but he rejected all of those sides.
Arteta then convinced Zubimendi to join Arsenal, and that has proved to be a fantastic decision.
The 27-year-old has made a couple of mistakes, but for the most part, he has been one of the best signings in the Premier League this season.
Theo Walcott appears to be a big fan of Zubimendi, and he even compared him to Cazorla.
Speaking on Premier League Productions before Arsenal’s game against Brentford, the Englishman said: “He has been absolutely outstanding from day one.
“He does not have a big stature for someone who, in that position, you expect them to break down play. He has surprised me with the amount of goals he has scored as well. He has scored six goals in this team.
“But he has played every single game, and he has been so effective for Arsenal. He is an all-round midfield player. What I like about him is that he scans constantly. His first thought is always to think forward.
“He is a player, for me, who is gifted. Right foot, left foot. He reminds me a bit of Santi Cazorla, who used to play balls like this, which is absolutely incredible.”
How much is Martin Zubimendi worth to Arsenal now?
It's certainly a lot more than the £51m we paid!
Martin Zubimendi has surprised everyone since joining Arsenal
Everyone knew how good Zubimendi was when he joined Arsenal, but he has still surprised many.
Firstly, many felt that the Spaniard would need time to adapt to the pace and physicality of the Premier League after only playing in La Liga.
Even Arteta didn’t expect Zubimendi to adapt as quickly as he did, which shows how good a player he is.
To add to that, the former Real Sociedad star has already scored more goals than he has ever done before in a single season. That has been a massive surprise as well.
Arsenal fans should be really pleased with the kind of season Zubimendi has had, and we are sure he will get even better in the coming months.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
