Spanish outlet Sport reports Atletico Madrid see Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi as a potential January target, per BBC Sport’s gossip column. No bid or fee reported.
Martin Zubimendi has emerged as a potential January transfer target for Atletico Madrid, according to Spanish outlet Sport. BBC Sport’s Tuesday gossip column carries the report, which describes the 27-year-old Arsenal and Spain midfielder as a possible target. The report names no fee, and no comment from either club has been reported.
Atletico Madrid and Zubimendi
The BBC’s summary of the Sport story is brief: Atletico see Zubimendi as a potential January option. It gives no price, no wage figure and no sign that a bid has been made, so the stage is interest only. The same column also carries a separate item from AS, another Spanish outlet, which says the futures of Viktor Gyokeres and Mikel Merino at Arsenal could be in doubt as the Gunners look to balance their finances. AS links that to finances, not to any named bid.
The fee and the contract
| Outlet | Fee | Wages | Contract | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sport (Spain), via BBC Sport gossip | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Potential January target |
What it means for Arsenal
Nothing in the report suggests Arsenal want to sell Zubimendi or have opened talks. The AS line about finances is the only hint of a reason, and it names Gyokeres and Merino, not Zubimendi. Arsenal’s next Premier League game is at Newcastle on Saturday 21 November (17:30). Another Arsenal story from the same column: TEAMtalk’s report on new contracts for Odegaard, Timber and Rice.
How credible is it?
Sport is a Spanish sports daily, but the BBC’s summary gives no detail beyond Atletico’s interest. The AS item is separate and is about finances. Nobody has reported a bid, talks or a fee, and no comment from Arsenal or Atletico has been reported. Treat it as early-stage interest.
What happens next
The January window opens on Friday 1 January 2027 and closes on 1 February 2027 at 23:00 GMT, according to the Premier League. Our Arsenal international duty update covers who is away now.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zubimendi joining Atletico Madrid? Sport reports that Atletico see him as a potential January target. Nothing is agreed and no comment from Arsenal has been reported.
Are Gyokeres and Merino leaving Arsenal? AS reports that their futures could be in doubt as Arsenal balance their finances. That is a report, not a decision.
When does the January transfer window open? On Friday 1 January 2027, according to the Premier League.
Featured photo: Chensiyuan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped).
Arjun Rao is a football writer covering the Premier League for The False 9 — tactical breakdowns, transfer analysis and the numbers behind the game.
