Mikel Arteta has heaped praise on Martin Zubimendi, admitting the club feels “blessed” to have the Spanish midfielder in his squad.
Zubimendi Wins Over Arteta: “He Does Things in an Exceptional Way”
The 25-year-old arrived at the Emirates Stadium just as Arsenal lost Thomas Partey, a player who played a highly influential role during the previous campaign.
Many supporters questioned whether any new signing could successfully fill the gap left by the Ghanaian.
Zubimendi has answered those doubts emphatically. The midfielder helps fans move on quickly from Partey’s departure through his assured displays in the centre of the pitch.
He brings composure, intelligence and consistency to every match.
While the Spaniard has not been flawless and has made mistakes in some games, his overall contribution impresses greatly.
For a player adapting to a new club and a new league, his first season stands as extremely strong.
Arsenal’s hierarchy feel delighted with his progress, especially given the importance of the role he had to take on immediately after arriving.
Arteta recently spoke about Zubimendi and made clear how highly he values the midfielder’s contribution.
“He’s very good,” the Arsenal boss said, via Arsenal Media.
“To play 50 games for Arsenal in your first season at the level that he’s done and the amount of games that we’ve won, you have to do things in an exceptional way.”
Arteta added: “He’s very much liked by everybody. You can sense that if you go back to clips in September, October, November, I can show you when he scored goals or assists or whatever.
The reaction and how he feels with his teammates is so good. We are blessed to have him.”
Zubimendi has attracted some critics, with Gary Neville among those questioning him.
However, the evidence strongly suggests the Spaniard has proven a superb signing for the Gunners.
