As reported by The Mirror and Metro, the Gunners have agreed to pay La Real a total of £55m – £4m over the release clause – in order to spread the cost out over a couple of years in what is a shock deal after Zubimendi’s comments earlier this week in which he claimed Madrid boss Xabi Alonso was his idol.
"I've always said that he was my idol and that for me it was a stroke of luck that he was able to coach me in the reserve team in a very important year.
“I don't like to talk about those hypotheses, I like to talk about the present. I think it would be disrespectful to answer a question (about a Madrid move) while I'm in the national team, and facing such an important competition."
Zubimendi scored Spain’s opener in Sunday’s Nations League final in a game that would've been watched in close detail by parties from both Madrid and Arsenal as the young playmaker makes a decision on his future. The 26 year old has spent his entire career in Spain and rejected a move to Liverpool last season as he admitted that he would miss his homeland.
Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has a huge task on his hand in trying to convince him to move to London which has very different scenery and a very different culture to Spain. However, now a deal has been agreed he will just have to convince Zubimendi of a move to England rather than staying in Spain where a move to La Liga hopefuls Madrid.