Zubimendi oiling the cogs in Arsenal's midfield engine

Spain's Martin Zubimendi has emerged as the heir to Rodri for the national team, writes Miguel Delaney, which adds spice to tomorrow's Premier League clash in north London

- By Miguel Delaney

When Manchester City and Spain have a fit Rodri in the team, the biggest difference his teammates notice isn't actually protection without the ball. It's supreme confidence with it.

Everybody knows that you can trust Rodri with a pass, no matter where on the pitch, with everything flowing from there. If he is playing, the goalkeeper can give it to him in between the centre-halves, and it’s the assured start of a move forward rather than the risk of a counterattack. If he’s not there, players will often go wide, or long, and the entire flow of the team is different.

It’s what Spain feared when Rodri went off injured in the Euro 2024 final against England and then again for Man City just weeks later. A tension spread in the executive boxes, but partly because of that fear itself. Spanish football’s senior stakeholders were all present, and some were immediately expressing their dismay.

Such fatalism actually irked others, especially those from closer to the Basque country. They said it was like some had never seen Rodri’s replacement play, and an argument almost broke out.

England, and everyone else, soon had a clear idea of Martin Zubimendi. He took on Rodri’s role effortlessly. Zubimendi kept Spain moving in the same smooth way, to win the final and also move his own career onto a new level. After that, everyone wanted him. Liverpool made their move in the weeks after that 2-1 victory. Arsenal eventually got him a year later, although only after continued interest from both Real Madrid and even Manchester City. The Abu Dhabi-owned club had already long earmarked Zubimendi as a potential successor to Rodri, with that desire only sharpened after the captain’s long-term ACL injury.