Martin Zubimendi has explained why he rejected interest from Real Madrid and Liverpool to join Arsenal.

The Spanish midfielder completed a £60m move to Arsenal over the summer and has enjoyed an impressive start to his Premier League career.

Zubimendi has featured in all eight of Arsenal’s league games so far this season, helping Mikel Arteta’s side climb to the top of the table.

The 26-year-old was close to joining reigning Premier League champions Liverpool in the summer of 2024 but decided to snub the Anfield club in favour of spending one more season at boyhood club Real Sociedad.

Real Madrid then expressed interest in signing Zubimendi last summer but the Euro 2024 winner says he had already decided to join Arsenal following talks with Arteta.

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Asked why he favoured a move to Arsenal despite interest from Real Madrid, Zubimendi told AS: ‘I don’t know, you get a feeling.

‘Once I decided...