Euro 2024 winner rejects Arsenal and Liverpool for Real Madrid

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 1 Oct 2024 09:36 BST
• 3 min read

Euro 2024 hero Martin Zubimendi has decided that his next club will be Real Madrid - and not Arsenal or Liverpool.

That is according to TBR Football, who report that Zubimendi has made the decision to leave his boyhood club Real Sociedad at the end of the season.

Despite interest from Liverpool and Arsenal once again, Zubimendi wants to join Real Madrid.

Madrid are long-term admirers of Zubimendi and need to sign a new central midfielder in 2025 having struggled so far this season in the area following the retirement of Toni Kroos.

READ MORE: European Golden Shoe 2024/25

The Real Sociedad star decided to snub both Premier League clubs this summer despite initially looking set to depart his boyhood club.

Liverpool had made an approach and Zubimendi initially seemed set to agree to the move.

However, the LaLiga side launched a charm offensive and managed to convince the 25-year-old Spain international to stay in his hometown, much to the surprise of the Reds.

Earlier in the year, Arsenal had also attempted to persuade the Basque star, but despite broadly agreeing on contract terms, he ultimately decided to break off all communication with the Gunners, leaving them frustrated and unwilling to make fresh contact when the summer window opened.

The midfielder recently broke his silence on the matter, stating: "For me, Real Sociedad is my life, I think I've spent half my life there. A large percentage of who I am is part of Real Sociedad, it's my life."

But that life with Real Sociedad could come to an end next year in order to move to Real Sociedad, despite renewed interest from Arsenal and Liverpool.

Zubimendi at Euro 2024

Zubimendi enjoyed a fantastic Euro 2024 as Spain won the title and he was deemed by many to have been the key man in the 2-1 final win over England.

The midfielder came on at half time for Rodri with the score at 0-0 and immediately changed the game.

Zubimendi has spent his whole career at Real Sociedad, making 195 appearances and scoring eight goals. He won the Copa del Rey in 2020.

Previously he played for Real Sociedad’s B team, making 50 appearances and scoring four goals.

He has been capped 12 times by Spain, winning Euro 2024 and the Nations League last year.