Martin Zubimendi Makes His Mark in Arsenal Debut Against AC Milan

Martín Zubimendi stands as Arsenal's marquee acquisition this summer window, with the midfielder making his inaugural appearance for the North London club on Wednesday.

The Spanish international was included on the bench for Arsenal's opening fixture during their Asian pre-season campaign, which culminated in a narrow 1-0 victory against the Serie A side.

Zubimendi featured among several interval changes for the Gunners in Singapore and went on to complete the full second period, gaining valuable playing time alongside his new teammates.

Here's an assessment of Zubimendi's performance in his maiden Arsenal appearance.

Martín Zubimendi vs. Milan

Zubimendi came on for fellow summer addition Christian Nørgaard during the interval, with the 26-year-old instantly slotting into the deep-lying playmaker role within Arsenal's three-man midfield setup. This represents his natural position and the role he was brought in to occupy.

Arsenal's first-period control persisted after Zubimendi's introduction, with much of their second-half build-up play channeled through the newcomer. He completed 34 passes with 30 finding their intended destination and ten progressing into the attacking third. He distributed possession smoothly against what was admittedly a relaxed Milan midfield, regularly finding gaps between the lines.

Zubimendi fashioned two scoring opportunities for his colleagues in Singapore—matching the highest tally of any participant—and maintained possession throughout his 45-minute stint. As anticipated based on his displays for Real Sociedad and the Spanish national team, the midfielder demonstrated composure and precision with the ball.

Defensively, Zubimendi faced minimal challenges as Massimiliano Allegri's Milan seldom ventured forward after the restart, though he committed no significant errors without possession. He registered four defensive contributions overall, succeeding in 60% of his ground battles while completing two combined tackles and interceptions.

In summary, it represented an encouraging debut from the £55 million ($74.5 million) acquisition, who also confidently dispatched his penalty in the ceremonial shootout following the final whistle.

When Will Martín Zubimendi Feature Next for Arsenal?

Arsenal proceed with their Asian tour over the coming eight days and will return to action against fellow Premier League side Newcastle United on July 27. Another domestic encounter follows on July 31 as the Gunners meet bitter north London adversaries Tottenham Hotspur in Hong Kong.

Mikel Arteta's squad concludes their pre-season program with consecutive matches against Spanish opposition, taking on Villarreal on August 6, followed by Athletic Club three days subsequently. Both encounters will take place at the Emirates Stadium, providing Zubimendi with his first taste of his new venue against recognizable opponents.