Martín Zubimendi has been Arsenal’s blockbuster signing of the summer to date and the midfielder made his debut for the Gunners on Wednesday.
The Spaniard was named among the substitutes for Arsenal’s opening encounter of their pre-season tour of Asia, turning into an eventual 1–0 win over their Italian opponents.
Zubimendi was among a host of half-time substitutes for the Gunners in Singapore and proceeded to play the entirety of the second half as he was offered some much-needed match practice with his new clubmates.
Here’s how Zubimendi fared in his first Arsenal outing.
Martín Zubimendi vs. Milan
One-nil to The Arsenal ❤️
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 23, 2025
A penalty shoot-out will now follow 🎯 pic.twitter.com/vqjJrer0e1
Zubimendi replaced fellow summer recruit Christian Nørgaard at the half-time break, with the 26-year-old immediately dropping into the central holding role in Arsenal’s midfield three. It’s his preferred position and the one he was signed to fill.
Arsenal’s first-half dominance continued following Zubimendi’s arrival and much of their second-half possession was filtered through the new man. He made 34 passes in total of which 30 reached their target and ten went into the final third. He recycled possession effectively against an admittedly low-intensity Milan midfield, threading the ball through the lines on plenty of occasions.
Zubimendi created two chances for teammates in Singapore—the joint most of any player on the pitch—and wasn’t dispossessed at any point throughout his 45-minute display. As expected given the qualities he’s exhibited with Real Sociedad and Spain, the midfielder was neat and tidy on the ball.
Out of possession, Zubimendi had very little work to do given Massimiliano Allegri’s Milan rarely forayed forward after the break, but he certainly made no notable mistakes off the ball. He was involved in four defensive actions in total, winning 60% of his ground duels and making a combined two tackles and interceptions.
Overall, it was an impressive start from the £55 million ($74.5 million) signing, who also calmly converted his spot-kick in the meaningless penalty shootout staged after the full-time whistle.
When Will Martín Zubimendi Play Next for Arsenal?
Arsenal continue their tour of Asia over the next eight days and will next be in action against fellow Premier League outfit Newcastle United on July 27. Another all-English affair awaits on July 31 as the Gunners face fierce north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in Hong Kong.
Mikel Arteta’s side finish their pre-season schedule with a double against La Liga and Champions League opposition, facing Villarreal on August 6, and Athletic Club three days later. Both fixtures are being hosted at the Emirates Stadium, which will be Zubimendi’s first experience of his new home against familiar adversaries.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as How Martin Zubimendi Fared on Arsenal Debut vs. Milan.
