The summer exit of Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City left a gaping hole in the Chelsea midfield ranks. The Argentine midfielder was a key cog in the Blues midfield machine alongside Moises Caicedo, and his departure meant that Chelsea would have to put their trust on the injury-prone Romeo Lavia and veteran recruit Jordan Henderson to keep the passes ticking.
However, Lavia has only ever completed 90 minutes twice in the league for the Blues since he joined in the summer of 2023, and the seasoned Henderson, at 36, is not getting any younger with time. While they still have Valentin Barco to contribute in a sporadic role, Blues fans on social media are open to new reinforcements to help get them back into the UEFA Champions League – and reports from reputed sources suggest that the club are too. And for their potential new midfield maestro, the Blues are not looking further than the ranks of their London neighbours and rivals Arsenal.
🚨JUST IN! 💣 Chelsea want to sign Martiín Zubimendi. Financially, Atleti can’t afford the signing. 🇪🇸 🌟 ℹ️ @MatteMoretto https://t.co/MLhRLLbUx8
— AFC Xtra (@AFC__Xtra) November 10, 2026
According to reputed sources, Chelsea are interested in acquiring the services of Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi. The Spanish midfielder joined the Gunners in the summer of 2025, but has not carved out a starting role for himself yet – currently playing understudy to summer signing Bruno Guimaraes in the heart of the Arsenal midfield. Zubimendi, who was part of the Spanish squad that won the FIFA World Cup this past summer, has a reputation as one of the best first-phase midfielders in the world, helping his team control the tempo of the game – which has meant that the Gunners have not shied away from naming a premium price for his signature.
La información de @MatteMoretto sobre los obstáculos del Atleti para hacerse con Zubimendi 🔴⚪ "A nivel económico no puede abordar el fichaje y el Chelsea de Xabi Alonso lo quiere" 💥 #TRENDING https://t.co/A4AzL7siRA
— DAZN España (@DAZN_ES) November 10, 2026
Spanish football journalist Matte Moretto has reported that the Gunners are looking at an €80m price tag for the midfielder, including add-ons. While Xabi Alonso is reported to be driving the interest, it has been reported that other European elite clubs such as Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid are also vying for Zubimendi’s signature – keen to bring the former Real Sociedad man back to La Liga. However, Chelsea are presently top of the race to sign the Spaniard, as they are willing to meet his salary demands – Zubimendi currently earns a reported £90,000 per week.
🚨CONFIRMED! 💣 Arsenal are asking for €80m, including add-ons, to agree to sell Martín Zubimendi. 🇪🇸 🌟 ℹ️ @MatteMoretto Real Madrid, Chelsea and Atletico de Madrid are the interested clubs. https://t.co/6cR9rQmg5C
— AFC Xtra (@AFC__Xtra) November 10, 2026
With Arsenal six points clear at the top of the table with Guimaraes and Declan Rice two of the first names on the team sheet, it will not be a surprise to see the Blues go in for the Gunners midfielder who has only played 115 minutes in the league so far this season. And if they do land the Spaniard, the Blues will hope to find themselves back playing amongst Europe’s very best next season.
