The problem with Martin Zubimendi is that his £60m transfer was about a year in the making and he is supposedly a defensive midfielder.

So, his arrival at Arsenal - when it was finally announced - almost felt underwhelming. The big reveal, the club announcement probably begged the question: didn’t we know that already?

And… Mikel Arteta has signed another defensive midfielder when he really needed a striker (Viktor Gyokeres arrived nearly three weeks later).

But now we are seeing his true quality and exactly why he is proving to be, in my opinion, the best signing by any Premier League club in the summer of 2025.

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It was also done amid a huge raft of big money deals like Florian Wirtz (around £115m) and Alexander Isak (£125m) and the likes of Nick Woltemade, Huge Ekitike, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

Furthermore, Arsenal spent a fortune. Manchester United did. Chelsea spent big. Liverpool trumped the lot with big deals.

But, amid all the lavish spending, Zubimendi arrived and has thrived barely unnoticed. Why? Because he is so good that it feels as if he has been playing in Arsenal’s midfield forever.

The only signing to come remotely close - in terms of value for money and impact - has been Sunderland’s £13m deal for Granit Xhaka.

Why? Because he has taken his team to another level, been outstanding and a great influence on the rest of the Sunderland squad.

Similarly, Zubimendi looks an absolute bargain. It was the previous Arsenal recruitment team who really championed the deal, put the wheels in motion and set it up before the club’s current sporting director Andrea Berta arrived.

This was a player who Arsenal tried to sign before, Liverpool pursued and yet he was reluctant to leave Real Sociedad. However, his former club teammate and current Spain teammate Mikel Merino was already at Arsenal.

That undoubtedly helped him settle and now Zubimendi looks so comfortable, so assured and so good in Arsenal’s midfield.

It is hard to pigeonhole him as a No6. He plays the role brilliantly. Reads the game, is always available and his passing is superb.

But, looking at his performance at Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi final first leg, here is a player who can get forward, drive the team and also score goals.

His technique for his goal at Stamford Bridge, sidestepping defenders and then keeping his composure was magnificent. What a player.

Arsenal spent a lot last summer. But none have been better than Zubimendi. There will always be debates over who has been Arsenal’s best player this season as they chase the title.

Declan Rice or Bukayo Saka. Gabriel is hugely influential. Zubimendi must be in the same conversation.

But his quiet, understated genius means that he is still going under the radar when he is commanding all the headlines.

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