Real Madrid had made Manchester City midfielder Rodri one of their main transfer targets, and for several weeks, a move to the Bernabeu looked possible. However, their El Clasico rivals Barcelona stepped in and moved ahead in the race.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner has reportedly agreed personal terms with Barcelona. The Catalan club must now reach an agreement with Manchester City over a transfer fee before they can bring the Spain captain to Camp Nou for the new season.
Missing out on Rodri has forced “Los Blancos” to search for another midfielder who could play a similar role. Real Madrid now appear to have identified their preferred alternative.
However, signing their new target will not be easy. Real Madrid must convince him to choose the Bernabeu and Jose Mourinho’s project instead of joining Xabi Alonso at Chelsea. They would also need to reach an agreement with Arsenal, with a possible deal reportedly valued at around €90 million (£77 million), according to Mundo Deportivo.
Martin Zubimendi is viewed as the ideal alternative to Rodri. This should not come as a major surprise, especially because of his position behind Rodri in the Spain national team.
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente previously described the Arsenal midfielder as the “second-best” defensive midfielder in the world, behind Manchester City star Rodri.
Speaking to TVE, he said: “With all due respect, and I don’t mean to offend anyone, I said that doubting Rodri was an insult to football intelligence, obviously.
“He’s the best player in the world in his position, knowing that we have Martin Zubimendi behind him, who is also another great player, surely the second best in the world.”
Zubimendi made 34 Premier League appearances for Arsenal last season.
The 27-year-old has already shown that he can successfully replace Rodri when needed. During Spain’s victory over England in the 2024 European Championship final, Rodri was forced off with an injury at half-time. Zubimendi replaced him and produced a strong performance, helping Spain continue to control the midfield despite losing their key player.
Real Madrid are interested in bringing Zubimendi back to La Liga, but they could face strong competition from Chelsea for his signature.
According to FourFourTwo, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso is a big admirer of the 27-year-old. Alonso previously wanted to sign Zubimendi for Real Madrid, who were reportedly among the favourites to bring him in from Real Sociedad before Arsenal eventually completed the transfer.
Now, Alonso could try to stop his former club and Jose Mourinho from signing the Spanish midfielder. He reportedly wants Zubimendi to become an important part of his new project at Stamford Bridge.
Both Chelsea and Real Madrid are considering moves for Zubimendi. They may believe a transfer is now more possible following Arsenal’s signing of Bruno Guimaraes, as the Brazilian’s arrival could reduce Zubimendi’s playing time at the Emirates.
