According to Diario Sport, Real Madrid believe the summer transfer window has closed after the Rodri transfer took a turn for the worse. However, if they broaden their focus and consider Mourinho's comments about a "thin squad," the club may still look for two reinforcements in the final stages of the window: a midfielder and a center-back.
This is also a question Real Madrid fans have started asking, hoping the club will complete its major signings this summer. Bernardo Silva can also play as a playmaker, and Gueller has been tried in a similar role, but both are better suited to playing near the opponent's penalty area. Arsenal midfielder Zubimendy's name was on Real Madrid's list of players they failed to sign last summer.
Xabi Alonso's presence kept Zubimendi waiting for a call from Real Madrid. The call never came, and the Basque player subsequently joined Arsenal for €70 million. Alonso had previously coached him while working at Real Sociedad B. With Rodri's option cooling down, and the player reportedly preferring a move to Barcelona, Zubimendi's name has resurfaced. His contract with Arsenal runs until 2030, and the public reports of this supposed interest primarily come from exclusive leaks by English football journalist Sebastian Vidal and others.
This news also sparked reactions from other media figures, such as French content creator Lilles, who maintains connections with some Real Madrid's French players. He was one of the first to insist that Rodri would eventually go to Barcelona. In a video released this Sunday, he stated that Real Madrid was not pursuing a transfer for Zubimendi and believed that the rumor had been amplified on social media, possibly to generate interaction and stimulate Real Madrid's interest. In his view, Arsenal's €90 million price tag for the player, valued at €75 million, might also be the result of agent pressure.
Zubimendy's recent surge in popularity is not only related to the negotiations for Rodri's transfer to Barcelona, but also to Arsenal's recent signing of another midfielder, Bruno Guimaraes. Arsenal paid Newcastle United €87 million for the Brazilian midfielder, signing him to a four-year contract with an option for a fifth year. Zubimendy's first season at Arsenal started strong but faded, ultimately finishing behind Lewis Skelley, who started in this season's Champions League final, in a double pivot with Declan Rice. Guimaraes can also play in this position, and can also play as an attacking midfielder.
Somewhat unusually, Zubmendy's first season at Arsenal was somewhat hampered by playing time. Arsenal's official website noted that the former Real Sociedad midfielder became the Gunners' most-capped player in a Premier League title-winning season after 57 appearances. Arteta also publicly praised his adaptability and performance. The problems arose in the spring, coinciding with the most crucial phase of the season. Luis de la Fuente took him to the World Cup, but he only played 21 minutes in the final against Argentina. However, fans still remember his outstanding performance replacing Rodri in the 2024 European Championship final.
Bernardo Silva and Marc Cucurella were Real Madrid's two most important and discreet strategic moves this summer. No media outlet or journalist noticed until negotiations progressed to a deeper stage. In midfield, several names had previously been mentioned for Rodri, but none made substantial progress: Højbjerg, whom Mourinho knew well during his time at Sporting Lisbon, later joined Atlético Madrid; Matthäus Fernández, represented by Mendes, left West Ham United for Tottenham Hotspur; and Enzo Fernández, for whom Real Madrid even officially denied interest through a statement. Ultimately, only Diomande's move materialized. Therefore, Real Madrid remains tight-lipped about their activities in the final stages of the transfer window.
