Martin Zubimendi, once hailed as one of the Premier League’s standout signings, has seen his role diminish significantly at Arsenal, where he now finds himself confined to the closing minutes of matches as the club seeks to regain its peak form.
At the start of the season, Mikel Arteta explained the decision to limit Zubimendi’s playing time by emphasizing the need to manage his workload. “We cannot allow him to have played 55 matches by the end of the season,” Arteta stated, highlighting concerns about fatigue and accumulated minutes. This change in role followed a noticeable dip in Zubimendi’s physical and footballing performance during the final stages of the previous campaign, attributed to exhaustion and intense competition from Lewis-Skelly.
Despite his reduced presence on the pitch, Zubimendi remains positive about his current status. “I’m not going to start thinking negatively because of these substitutions,” he told reporters, showing resilience amid the challenges.
The Shift in Arsenal’s Midfield Dynamics
After lifting the Premier League trophy and reaching the Champions League final—only to lose on penalties—Arteta initially maintained faith in the young Basque midfielder during the early part of the 2026-27 season. Both Zubimendi and Lewis-Skelly earned their time on the field, reflecting healthy competition for midfield spots.
However, the arrival of Bruno Guimarães for nearly £90 million intensified the midfield battle, prompting a more distributed allocation of minutes. Guimarães came into the squad as a proven star outside the traditional ‘Big Six,’ adding to the depth but also complicating Zubimendi’s path to regular starts.
What remains puzzling to many observers is that Zubimendi, who until March was widely regarded as a candidate for the unofficial title of Premier League’s “Best Signing of the Season” — a distinction even noted by The Times — now struggles to find meaningful playing time. The midfielder, who was the only outfield player to start all 38 league matches last season (34 as a starter), is now relegated to brief appearances late in games, a shift that has raised eyebrows among fans and analysts alike.