- Odegaard praises Zubimendi’s quality
- Summer signing adds “new dimension” to Arsenal
- Spaniard endured tough start at Old Trafford but grew stronger
Arsenal began their Premier League campaign with a 1-0 win at Old Trafford thanks to Riccardo Calafiori’s early header. Zubimendi, making his debut, endured some early struggles under United‘s press but grew into the game as it progressed. Despite a tough start, the Spaniard’s ability was evident and Odegaard was quick to highlight his qualities.
Speaking on the Men In Blazers podcast, Odegaard said: “Yeah, he’s [Zubimendi] been really good in pre-season.
“And I’ve played a little bit with him before in Spain, you know, so I knew his qualities. A top player, as you say, he can find any pass, you know, he can break the lines, he can drive with the ball.
“He’s also so smart, you know, intelligent to read where the ball is going to land. And he picks up a lot of second balls. And yeah, he really controls the game. It’s going to give us a new dimension there. So yeah, excited for it.”
Zubimendi arrived in north London with high expectations after excelling at Real Sociedad and impressing for Spain. Arsenal paid a significant fee to land him as Mikel Arteta sought to strengthen midfield depth for another title push. While his debut had challenges, both the manager and team-mates are backing him to adapt quickly to the Gunners’ tactical plans.
Arsenal face another stern test in their upcoming Premier League fixture against Leeds United, where Zubimendi could once again feature. Arteta will hope to balance his midfield pairing with Declan Rice to maximise both players’ strengths. If Zubimendi continues to grow into his role, he could become a key figure in Arsenal’s title challenge.
